Boxoffice-May.21.1955

. . . Story 

,or« o' Pro, 

fficE ; 

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m&to&yL 

HctUAe yncdcd^ 

HOWARD SKELTON, 

manager of the Villoge 

Theatre in Houston, 

dresses up his children's 

shows through a "Fun 

Club" approach. Contests, 

drawings, merchant 

co-op parties, 

lobby fun—all are port 

of continuous promotion 

to develop the 

moviegoing habit in children. 

Skelton is shown 

here with the young winner 

of a recent contest 

on poge 20.

PRE-SOLD! 

Powerful full page ads in LIFI 

LOOK, COSMOPOLITAN an 

ALL FAN MAGAZINES. Als 

PICTURE OF THE MONTI 

COLUMNS in leading nation; 

magazines, giving big attraction 

readership of 14"), 143,300. 

performance; 

that comman) 

academy award 

attention! 

—because this is 

a 

drama of real 

people, life-inspired! 

DORIS DAY 

as song -star Ruth Etting 

JAMES CAGNEY 

as "The Gimp"

A STATEMENT TO THE 

TRADE ABOUT M-G-M's 

LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME 

The grapevine from California has proved magnificently right 

again with the arrival in New York this week of the print of 

"LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME." Everything you've heard about this 

turbulent drama, excitingly attuned to today's box-office, is 

true. 

A public Preview was held at Loew's Lexington Theatre, the 

same place where "Blackboard Jungle" was sneaked. The response 

was identical. A thrilled, spell-bound audience acclaimed a big, 

new dramatic hit. 

Stories from the lives of real people are potent screen fare. This 

one pulses with the excitement of a career story that began in a 

tough dance hall in Chicago's lurid, mob-ruled days and ran 

the glamour-gamut to Hollywood's movie life and Broadway's 

Ziegfeld Follies. 

These elements have been woven into one of the greatest mass 

entertainments of our time. 

M-G-M proudly presents in 

CINEMASCOPE and COLOR 

DORIS DAY. JAMES CAGNEY 

in 

lOVE ME OR LEAVE ME" 

Co-Starring CAMERON MITCHELL • with ROBERT KEITH . TOM TULLY 

Screen Play by DANIEL FUCHS and ISOBEL LENNART 

Story by DANIEL FUCHS • Photographed in EASTMAN COLOR 

Directed by CHARLES VIDOR * Produced by JOE PASTERNAK 

{Available in Magnetic Stereophonic, Perspecta Stereophonic or 1-Channel Sound)

. 

. 

. 

GIVE IT sixteen hundred camels and sixteen 

CinemaScope color-cameras . . 

GIVE IT the Nile of Egypt and the smile 

of a treacherous woman . . 

GIVE IT 11,500 actors and extras and the largest 

location crew ever sent abroad from Hollywood... 

GIVE IT a great sensuous and passion-swept story fr 

Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize Winner William Faulknc 

GIVE IT the Great Pyramid at Giza itself as its sta 

and the building of that Wonder of the World by 

half a million slaves as part of its story. . 

GIVE IT all 

the drama in the terrifying reign of Kh 

king of kings, and the wicked Nellifer, beauty of beauiei 

From Warner Bros, for July 4 

JACK HAWKINS JOAN COLIINS • DEWEY MARTIN' AlEXIflj 

A CONTINENTAL COMPANY LTD. PRODUCTION < PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY HOWARD HAWKS 

• PRESENTED BY WABP 

'

. 

f' 

t- . 

.mm 

ete 

I'E 

n 

J 

IT every splendor that money can buy, Nature 

or imagination bring . . 

IT ALL THIS... AND YOU'LL GET 

PRODUCTION OF 

MMDoF'niE 

RERCOLOR and Stereophonic Sound

In New York It's Circle 6-6700 

...and wherever you may be, it's easy to get a delightful date 

with "That Lady" by phoning your local 20th Century-Fox 

exchange. Ask your 20th branch manager to screen it for 

you—the exciting story of the woman society knew as Ana dc 

Mendoza . . . and scandal branded as "That Lady"! No wonder 

it was an international best seller! No wonder Katharine 

Cornell chose to star in it on the Broadway stage! Call right 

now for "That Lady" —the picture that shocked a nation! 

'SOON IT >VILL BE A PLEASURE TO DO BUSINESS >VITH 

7^4^^/ FROM

I 

' 

m. 

" 

"Mr 

: THEATRE 

, Editor 

: 45 

I 

i 

Bldg.. 

lONAL FILM WEEKLY 

i 

in Nine Sectional Editions 

SHLY EN 

i-Chief and Publisher 

MERSEREAU . Associate 

isher & General Manager 

JERAULD 

Editor 

:OHEN .. Executive Editor 

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\R Western Editor 

'CHER. .Equipment Editor 

.HLOZMAN 

. Business Mgr. 

sd Every Saturdoy by 

ATED PUBLICATIONS 

Iffices: 825 Vm Brunt Blvd.. 

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rauld. Editor: Hal Sloane. 

lotlon-Showmandiser Section: 

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Section is Inflrst 

issue of each month. 

Jones. 

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21-23 Walter .\vf. 

orge Browning, Stanley Thea. 

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"lujs Schoch, Register-Tribune. 

: 

li 

\ 

RENTALS CAN BE CONCILIATED, 

NOT ARBITRATED IN NEW PACl 

Provision Is Agreed Upon 

In Distributor-Exhibitor 

Plan, Reports TOA 

NEW YORK—Conciliation of film rentals 

IS provided for in the conciliation-arbitration 

plan under discussion between distributor-exhibitor 

representatives for many 

months. 

Conciliation differs from arbitration. It is 

more infomial. An exhibitor with a grievence 

can lodge a complaint with an exchange manager—accompanied 

by a lawyer, if he wants 

one—and if he doesn't reach a satisfactory 

agreement he can take his grievance up to the 

general sales manager. 

TO ELIMINATE FORMALITIES 

The idea behind this is to eliminate as 

many mattere as possible without going 

through the formalities of an arbitration hearing 

which involves advance acceptance of an 

agreement of the arbitrator's decision, with 

a possible appeal. 

News that an agreement on conciliation of 

film rentals had been achieved was contained 

in a bulletin of the Theatre Owners of America 

under date of May 12, which was about 

five days after Al Lichtman, 20th Century-Pox 

O'Donnell: 

Distributors 

Grabbing' Tax Savings 

New York—R. J. O'Donnell, vice-president 

and general manager of the substantial 

Interstate Circuit of Texas, who 

until now has withheld entering the exhibition-distribution 

controversy over film 

prices, declared this week that there is 

no question but that distributors are 

"grabbing" exhibitor savings from the reduced 

government admissions tax. 

He said that he had always tried to be 

fair in his attitude toward distribution, 

but film distributors are now "being unfair." 

"We must have a better deal on big pictures 

to wind up with a decent profit," 

he contended. O'Donnell, whose circuit 

operates about 100 theatres, said the 

average feature is no "cushion." Since 

September, Interstate has had five top 

pictures on which it failed to make 

money, he said. 

"When production lost interest in the 

theatre because of the consent decrees, a 

cancer began developing. I saw it coming 

then," he said. 

As for the approaching meeting between 

TOA and Allied, he said he didn't see 

what could be accomplished by exhibition 

meeting with itself. He regretted the 

breakdown of the Roundtable plan because 

such a meeting "would have been a 

wonderful thing as it could reduce antagonisms." 

Senate Committee to Hear 

Exhibitors This Sessior) 

Wasliington — Senate small business 

subcommittee hearings on film industry 

problems have now definitely been promised 

for this session. 

Senator Hubert Humphrey (D. Minn.) 

on Thursday (19) said that his retailing, 

merchandising and distribution subcommittee 

would undertake the hearings 

this time. Another Senate small business 

subcommittee, then under the chairmanship 

of Senator Andrew Schoeppel (R., 

Kas.), already has held extensive hearings. 

vice-president, had announced that he would 

be wUling to arbitrate rentals of $50 or less. 

The TOA bulletin statement on arbitration 

read 

"F^-ogress has been good, but slow. It has 

been slow because the exhibitor members of 

the committee are trying to have the scope 

of the system as broad as possible, while the 

distributor members are trying to have it as 

narrow as possible. Our guiding principle has 

been that as many matters as possible should 

be arbitrable. 

"One very happy note is the section on conciliation, 

which has been agreed upon. Any 

exhibitor may go into conciliation on any 

matter, including film rental. Under conciliation, 

an exhibitor will go, with a lawyer, 

or other spokesman, if he wishes, to the 

office of a branch manager to make his 

grievance known, have it discussed and have 

the branch manager make a decision. If the 

exhibitor is not satisfied with the decision of 

the branch manager, he will be able to appeal 

to the sales manager. 

"While it is true, as now, that the distributor 

cannot be compelled to grant relief (except 

where violation of law is concerned) this 

Allied, 

Senator Humphrey again indicated that 

he has no thought at this time of introducing 

any bill with respect to film industry 

problems, whether Allied's proposed 

measure or any other. 

He said "the Allied people" made a 

"very forceful preliminary presentation" 

of their side of the argument, and that 

they impressed him with their case. But, 

he also pointed out that he hasn't heard 

the other side of the question yet. He 

pointed out that it isn't necessary to introduce 

a bill to hold hearings. 

much is so: an exhibitor will at least have h 

opportunity to go beyond the office of V:< 

branch manager to try to get relief. Concili; 

tion will be helpful if the distributors will 

sincere and understanding in their approa, 

to the problems facing exhibitors. If ti 

exhibitor fails to get relief in conciliation, 

arbitration in most matte, 

j 

may then go to 

but he will not be able to arbitrate film rer' 

als—that distributors adamantly refuse ' 

agree to." 

Herman Levy, TOA general counsel, S8> 

this conciliation provision has been in t; 

documents discussed for many months, I; 

not yet formally approved by both grotJ 

of conferees. 

As stated in BOXOFFICE February 5, tf 

provision on conciliation of rentals limitir 

the discussion of film rentals to the aggrie\i 

exhibitor and one representative is desigrl 

to simplify the procedure and limit the d 

cussions to participants so that delegatie 

will not appear. The representative doest 

necessarily have to be a lawyer; he can J 

another exhibitor, or a representative of i 

exhibitor organization to which the coplainant 

belongs. 

TOA Face A Dilemma 

NEW YORK—Conciliation could mean a 

way out of the dilemma in which exhibitor 

organization leaders now find themselves 

through tiie refusal of major company presidents 

to hold a roundtable discussion. 

That, however, is something for the future 

if it does not become fully operative until 

there is full agreement on an arbitration 

system. Piecemeal operation has been tried 

and could continue. 

Conciliation may form a topic when Theatre 

Owners of America and National Allied 

meet here Monday (23i, but no hint of that 

was given in the statement by Rube Shor of 

Allied and E. D. Martin of TOA in their 

statement of regret that the presidents have 

rejected their invitation "to discuss exhibitor 

problems, the declining audience and the low 

ebb of exhibitor-distributor relations." 

The statement said there had been no intention 

of discussing individual company saS 

and trade practices, "the veil under whi 

the invitations were declined." It continU': 

"We regret the shortsightedness of the f:i 

companies and that they fail to see that i- 

hibition was acting in good faith in seek? 

to discuss with their presidents forms of - 

lief to the sad and chaotic plight facing 6 

majority of exhibitors in this country fS 

poor exhibitor-distributor relations. 

"We have earnestly sought the joint i- 

operation, assistance and counsel of the ta 

companies and their presidents on these preing 

industry problems. Therefore, we cr 

not be criticized for the avenues we mt 

take alone to obtain relief. Our thanks" 

Herbert Yates (of Republic) and Steve Broy 

I of Allied) for their speedy acceptance of ,r 

invitation and their kindness and undersUing." 

BOXOFFICE May 21, 1" 

t 

^1

' 

: > 

I 

the 

\B-PT SEES BETTER BUSINESS; 

I 

PLANS TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES 

3)ldenson Notes Healthier 

Fne; Eyeing Record and 

Cher Business Fields 

YORK — "There has been a health- 

10 our theatre business in the past 

Leonard H. Goldenson. president, 

\inerlcan Broadcasting-Paramount 

stockholders at the annual meetui 

Tuesday il7i. He attributed it not 

jr*;' to better quality pictures and to the 

IT. irprl federal admission tax but also to 

oitinued improvement in the techif 

picture making and screen pres- 

: •.um." 

\ \ SCOPES HAVE HELPED 

annot foresee what the ultimate in 

'echniques will be," he said, "but 

now in use have unquestionably 

artistic preparation of pictures 

;,t public's enjoyment of them." 

,; specifically mentioned VistaVision and 

In'ted the stockholders to see "Strategic 

A.' Command" in VistaVision at the Para- 

Dv'nt Theatre after the meeting. 

'aldenson said the company had plans for 

ex'msion. 

'Ve hope to complete our theatre divestitt 

program by September 3 as required 

\iiii the terms of our consent judgment," 

he aid. "Once this program is completed, we 

sl^l give consideration to the acquisition of 

actional theatres in growing and profitable 

ar s. Our theatre associates are currently 

St eying their local situations in this conne 

ion." 

Dldenson also said the company was inv^'igating 

the record field with a view to 

ei^ring it. After the meeting he said AB-PT 

m form its own company. He also foresaw 

ar-xpansion in the electronics field, noting 

tl- AB-PT has a 50 per cent interest in 

Mi-owave As.sociates, which manufactures 

sf -conductors, tubes and related products. 

Hi intimated there might be other diversifirion 

of activities. He said that no Du 

M t television stations could be acquired 

b£ use of Federal Communications Commissii 

limitation to five of very high frequency 

St ons and to two of ultra high frequency 

st| ons. The company, however, has no UHP 

sUons at present. Financial participation 

lni"V film shows and production of such 

tt\}s will probably increase. 

bJ.iness 

is improving 

scussion of theatre business took precede* 

in the Goldenson report. He said it 

h£ shown improvement for the last six 

m ths of 1954 and for the first 17 weeks 

of 955. 

tistorically," he said, "the second quarter 

Is Jt a good theatre period. It is too early 

to ell what our theatre earnings will be 

foj the second quarter this year, but we 

ex ct that they will be at least as good and 

pcibly somewhat better than the same per- 

last year." 

toi )f 

ildenson called it "unfortunate" that 

"s few good pictures" are released in the 

Highlights 

AB-PT 

Report 

From 

• Theatre business improved in the last 

six months of 1954 and has been continuing 

in the same vein during the first 17 

weeks of the new year. 

• The circuit, already the largest in 

the country, intends to acquire more theatres. 

• The company has a legal right to 

produce films, but has no plans at present 

for production. 

• It also has the legal right to support 

the TOA-sponsored Exhibitors Film Financing 

Group, but the company does not 

intend to support the plan, or any similar 

proposal. 

• The company has been investigating 

the possibility of creating a recording 

division, as well as reaching out into other 

fields of activity. 

• The ABC division will join in the 

fight on toll television. 

• Determined efforts are being made 

to increase attendance of children and 

teenagers. 

current quarter. He said the theatre business 

would be better in the second quarter if 

more pictures were available. 

"It is encouraging to note, however," he 

said, "that certain producers and distributors 

are coming to recognize the serious nature of 

a short supply of product during April, May 

and June, and there are indications that a 

few of the better pictures will be released 

in June of this year that had been originally 

scheduled for release in the third quarter. 

"Your company has continually stressed 

the importance of an even flow of good pictures 

throughout the year and we are hopeful 

that next year there will be a better distribution 

of releases so that more good 

product will be available at this time of the 

year." 

He added that the company has the legal 

right to enter production, that he had said 

in 1954 it might do so, but that there were 

no such plans at present. He was optimistic 

about foreign production. He said AB-PT 

had the legal right under its consent decree 

to support the Exhibitors Film Financial 

Group, which is raising funds to aid production, 

but was not doing so and was not 

supporting any other similar group. 

He said AB-PT was the biggest customer 

of the major companies. 

Goldenson expressed concern over theatre 

attendance as not keeping pace with the increase 

in theatre revenues. He told how the 

company is trying to broaden the audience 

potential, particularly among youngsters of 

12 years of age and more, who, as they grow 

older, will constitute the major portion of 

audiences, recognized to be in the 15-30 

age group. To that end, AB-PT is experimenting 

with student admi.ssion prices. 

"Next month, in fact," he said, "our theatre 

associates in Texas will institute a statewide 

program in which special cards will be 

i.ssued to admit youngsters between 12 and 

17 at approximately half the adult prices." 

In answer to a question, Goldenson spiked 

as false a rumor that Republic had been 

treated unfairly. He said Herbert J. Yates, 

president, had been in his office and had 

called the relationship "eminently fair," and 

that Republic received the same returns from 

the gross as did other companies. 

TV FINE FOR PROMOTIONS 

Commenting on television, he called it an 

excellent promotion medium for pictures, 

citing the Disneyland program over ABC 

and the Warner Bros, program which will 

start in the fall over ABC. He saw young TV 

stars being groomed for Hollywood stardom. 

He reported that the ABC division was making 

fine progress with many new programs 

set for the fall, including Disney's Mickey 

Mouse Club, the Warner Bros, show and 

Bishop Sheen. The TV network time sales for 

program renewals and new programs, sold 

since early February, exceed the total network 

time sales for 1954. Radio was continuing 

at a profitable level. 

Goldenson recalled that the annual report 

expressed exhibitor opposition to toll TV, and 

the organization of a group to combat it. 

"Our theatre operating subsidiaries," he 

said, "have largely joined in this opposition 

and expressed their support of this group. 

Our ABC division will also oppose subscription 

TV in the proceedings before the FCC." 

Goldenson said many major compan:es 

have taken exhibit space in Disneyland in 

which AB-PT has a 35 per cent interest. 

ABC wîll televise the opening July 17. 

Commenting on directors who do not own 

stock in AB-PT, Goldenson said he has favored 

stock ownership but did not feel it a 

"valid criterion of a director's worth or ability 

to serve the company." He noted that 

while John Balaban and Robert H. Hinckley 

do not appear as record holders, their wives 

own in excess of 10,000 shares each. He 

praised the contributions as directors of 

John A. Coleman and E. Chester Gersten. 

DISCUSS WALTER WXNCHELL 

Discussion of Walter Winchell took up a 

good deal of time at the meeting. In response 

to questions about the resignation of Winchell 

from ABC, he said that it had happened 

after insm-ance companies and AB-PT had 

refused to insure Winchell from any punitive 

damages resulting from his broadcasts. He 

said after the meeting that Winchell had 

later asked for a new contract. He commented 

that management of ABC was in the 

hands of ABC executives. There was no 

stockholder pressure on Goldenson to give 

Winchell a new contract. 

The meeting was notable for stockholders 

agreeing that AB-PT management is doing 

a fine job. Many were the compliments paid 

Goldenson and the board. 

BC OFFICE :; May 21, 1955

pcd^ Se^nU 

Allied and TOA Set Stage 

For Action on Complaints 

Top officials poised for New York sessions 

will detennine if new approach on trade 

practices will be made to distribution or government 

intervention will be sought; decision 

expected May 25. 

• 

Urges Congress to Amend 

Law on Triple Damages 

Adolph Schimel of MPAA's legal committee 

aslcs to end mandatory antitrust provision 

to give federal judge discretion to award less 

than triple damages in private antitrust suits. 

* 

Tax Bill Would Exempt Part 

Of Triple-Damage Awards 

Measui'e to exempt from taxation twothirds 

of awards in triple-damage antitrust 

suits will be introduced by Rep. Emanuel 

Celler (D.. N. Y.) head of the House Judiciary 

Committee. 

• 

Ponder Fate of Exhibitors 

Film Financing Project 

Refusal of ABC-Paramount Theatres to 

contribute to organization designed to alleviate 

film shortage through exhibitor financing 

leaves planners in a quandary. 

* 

Eidophor Color Tests Near, 

Says Spyros P. Skouras 

First commercial prototype of sequential 

color projector built cooperatively by General 

Electric and Dr. Edgar Gretener of Switzerland 

has been assembled in the 20th Century- 

Fox laboratories. 

* 

Admission Taxes Discussed 

At Mayor's Annual Meet 

Dr. Luther Gulick, New York City administrator, 

points out desirability of using nonproperty 

sources, of which the metropolis has 

several; discussion follows, 

• 

Washington Month-Long Test 

Of Phonevision Authorized 

Federal Communications Commission gives 

Zenith permission to demonstrate Phonevision 

with operation limited to 8 a.m. to 

12:30 p.m. so Congress can see how it works; 

starts May 25. 

* 

Tennessee TOA to Salute 

Alfred Starr on May 31 

Chairman of executive committee of TOA 

to be honored at statewide meeting of Tennessee 

Theatre Owners Ass'n, of which former 

TOA president is a director, at Hermitage 

Hotel ia Nashville. 

• 

Congress Unlikely to Cut 

Tax on Foreign Business 

Motion picture industry among those affected 

as recommendations of Ti-easury Department 

apparently are ignored; had asked 

lower rate and deferment of levy until earnings 

are remitted to U. S. 

Skouras Predicts 30^00C 

CinemaScopes This Year 

NEW YORK — Cinemascope installations 

are rapidly approaching the saturation point, 

with a total of 30,000 predicted by the end of 

this year. Spyros P, Skouras, president of 

20th Centui-y-Fox, told stockholders at their 

annual meeting Tuesday (17), 

Now the company is at work on improvements 

through the use of 55mm film so that 

it will be possible to have pictures with six 

or seven sound tracks. All of these pictures 

will be made available for use on the regular 

35mm projectors, 

Skouras said that a year ago there were 

only 4,234 Cinemascope installations in use 

or on order. Of these, 3,234 were in the United 

States and Canada, and 1,000 on order in 

the foreign market. 

Today, the world total is 22,357 installations, 

of which 13,900 are in the United States 

and Canada, and 8,457 in other countries. 

"At the present rate of installations," 

TV Fight Business 

'Disappointing' 

NEW YORK—Business for the closed-circuit 

telecast of the Rocky Marciano-Don 

CockeU heavyweight championship at Kezar 

Stadium in San Francisco May 16 ranged 

from "pretty good" in some of the eastern 

tlieatres to "quite disappointing" in others, 

according to executives of Stanley Warner, 

which sliowed the telecast in 11 theatres, out 

of the total of 83 theatres in 59 cities across 

the country. 

Earlier, Theatre Network Television, which 

handled the presentation, estimated that a 

total of 250,000 fans would see the fight in 

these theatres. Reserved-seat sales were good 

generally, but the general admission sales 

were "very slow." In general, the ticket sale 

"didn't Uve up to expectations," according to 

cuxuit executives. It was "just fair" in all 

of the seven RKO Theatres houses which 

.showed the telecast, according to Harry K. 

Mandel, RKO Theatres director of advertising 

and publicity. Ticket sales in the seven 

Loew's Theatres spots which presented the 

event were "fair, nothing spectacular." 

Ticket sales at the two Walter Reade houses, 

one of them a drive-in, were "very poor," as 

the public apparently evidenced little interest 

in the event because of sports writers' predictions 

that Marciano would be an easy 

winner, according to a Reade spokesman. 

Reception at the theatres in New York City 

was described as "very good." They included 

three in Manhattan, Loew's State in Times 

Square, Loew's Sheridan in Greenwich Village 

and the Victoria; two in the Bronx, the 

RKO Fordham and Loew's Boulevard; two in 

Queens. Loew's Valencia and Prospect, and 

four in Brooklyn, Fabian's Fox, Loew's Pitkin, 

Oriental and Marine. 

New Loew's Dividend 

NEW YORK—Loew's Inc., Wednesday (18) 

voted a dividend of 25 cents a share on its 

outstanding stock, payable June 30 to stockholders 

of record June 14. 

, 

Skouras said, "we expect Cinemascope 

i 

be installed in 17,000 theatres in the Uniii 

States and Canada, and 12,000 theatres i 

other countries by the end of the year," 

Skouras described these results as a " 

sounding success, in spite of television— at 

in the countries abroad where there has bu 

no development of television, its success Is 

far exceeded our expectations, because CijmaScope 

makes the screen entertainment r 

more attractive than in 2-D, 

"Nothing in the history of the business Is 

transcended the introduction of Cinen- 

Scope, as a means of revitalizing the moti 

picture industry, because it was launclj 

at a time when the effects of free hoe 

television had a detrimental impact ui.i 

movie theatre attendance, causing thousais 

of them to close. 

"Since the introduction of CinemaSct;, 

many of these theatres have reopened." 

National Theatres Sets 

Fall Convention Sept. 12 

LOS ANGELES—National Theatres 11 

hold its annual fall convention of pridents, 

district managers and other cirit 

personnel September 12-15, it was annound 

Thursday (19) by Elmer C. Rhoden, T 

president, at the conclusion of a three- ly 

meeting of division chiefs here. More t.n 

100 delegates will attend. Rhoden said le 

locale of the meeting has not as yet bn 

determined. 

Pre-convention plans covering a multitle 

of topics were made at the division manars 

sessions and will be placed on the ageia 

for the fall gathering. They include curnt 

and future business prospects, opera ig 

policies, advertising research, an incerve 

plan for employes, film buying, purchaig 

and maintenance, real estate, insurance id 

taxes, manpower development and there 

television. 

In addition to Rhoden, NT homeoffice execfes 

in attendance included Alon Moy, Bert Pirosh nd 

Howard Milton. Representing Fox West Coast ^re 

John B. Bertero, president; Edwin F. Zobel, gefoj Jj 

manager; and M. Spencer Leve, Pete Lundgrenind^ 

Jomes Runte. For Fox Intermountoin, porticiipts M 

were Frank H. Ricketson jr., president, and Rifrt 

W. Selig, Senn Lawler of Fox Midwest, Wijn 

Thedford, Evergreen, and Gordon Hewitt, Fox t^ 

consin, also were on hand. 

Colonel Cole Recheckin 

Effects of Policy Changes 

BONHAM, TEX.—Sindlinger & Co., 

wc!i 

a year ago conducted a survey of the mcpn 

picture market here for Colonel H. A. Cs'* 

theatres, will restudy the situation. The Salinger 

organization will reinterview abou 20 

per oent of the adult population to reclck^ 

and determine what changes have taken f c 

in Bonhamites entertainment habits dup 

the year. 

Interviewers evaluated major policy chai 

introduced by the Cole theatres, four mo 1 

after the first reports were made aboij 

I 

year ago. Indications were tiiat the nu 

of nonmoviegoers had been cut by aboil 

per cent in the first four or five monthslj 

10 BOXOFFICE :: May 21,

PRESENTING 

THE FIRST 

WILLIAM GOETZ 

PRODUCTION 

FOR 

COLUMBIA

, 

The most powerful adventure story 

JAMES STEWART as WILL LOCKHART ARTHUR KENNEDY as VIC HANSBRO 

JAMES STEWART 

This is 

KATE 

CANADAY 

n all 

the valley, 

only she 

stood up 

for 

ALEX NICOL as DAVE WAGGOMAN ALINE MaCMAHON as KATE CANADAY 

A WILLIAM GOETZ production 

• 

' 

techni

I 

hed in the Saturday Evening Post! 

This is 

BARBARA 

WAGGOMAN 

She knew 

a man 

when she 

saw one. 

And one day 

she saw 

This is 

ALEC 

NA/AGGOMAN 

He owned 

everything 

in the 

valley 

except 

CATHY O'DONNELL as 

BARBARA WAGGOMAN 

DONALD CRISP as ALEC WAGGOMAN 

msizjaiwizjOB 

co-starring 

Arthur 

Donald 

KENNEDY -CRISP 

Cathy 

Alex 

O'DONNELL- NICOL 

Aline 

MacMAHON 

with 

WALLACE FORD 

Screen Play by 

PHILIP YORDAN and FRANK BURT 

Based upon the SATURDAY EVENING POST 

story by Thomas T. 

Flynn 

Directed by 

ANTHONY MANN 

WALLACE FORD as CHARLEY O'LEARY 

. . COMING IN AUGUST FROM

. . and the nationwide fireworks will stat 

ith the biggest premiere in history! 

takes over the great 

state of Texas . . . with the 

biggest all-out promotion ever staged 

in the biggest state of them all! 

CELEBRITIES! ^ PERSONALITIES! ^ COLUMNISTS! 

, NEWSREELS! * WIRE SERVICES! * STARS! 

BARBECUES! * RADIOBROADCASTS! ^ TV COVERAGE 

REPORTERS! it PHOTOGRAPHERS! 

""

1. 

, tar 

', 

ith 

; jom 

I 

ned 

1 for 

' 

May 

: 

W({/ie 

Festival Opens; 

Ei^husiasm Runs High 

\TA — Eight hundred showmen 

a month-long celebration of a 

era" in motion picture entertaina 

A 

joint Georgia-Alabama -Florida 

•11 here, which was best described by 

as "Cinemascopic" in size. 

.asm and optimism were running 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's workshop 

II 

the two-day convention here 

16) and spirits were even 

when the convention adjourned 

night. 

pact of the MOM "workshop" which 

the festival's theme of optimism 

big new product coming up, was 

us. Some 450 showmen were 

this event, alone. A large conat 

the Biltmore was filled to 

Throughout the day. 

the second day the convention disthe 

usual "bickering within the 

iiiuiy." Instead, representatives of all 

la.id producing companies had 20 minutes 

h to outline the coming product. 

1 big pictures as "Mr. Roberts," "The 

Itch," "Lady and the Tramp," 

Da\ Crockett," "The Ten Commandments," 

Hei. of Troy," "Not as a Stranger" on 

le 

j 

lease charts, showmen couldn't help 

sfleing optimism. 

1 

J. Thompson of Hawkinsville, who 

rigiited the Festival Idea, was elected to 

Is nth term as president of the Motion 

klh Theatre Owners and Operators of 

eo| a. In his talk before the convention, 

ho.ison said: 

'T ; Southeastern Movie Festival which 

" e officially launching here today is 

i pioneering effort, the like of which 

lever been attempted before in our 

lUry." 

k «d at the speaker's table at the Tues- 

Ick-off luncheon were 40 mayors from 

D ia cities and 39 editors and publishers 

wspapers in Georgia cities. Pictures 

h mayor with the theatre manager and 

of his home town paper were made 

visiting Hollywood celebrities. These 

es will "break" in local papers, heralde 

Movie Festival. 

€s 

U Greensboro; John Stembler and 

e< Storey, Atlanta, vice-presidents. 

R|M. Kennedy of Birmingham was rea 

president of the Alabama association. 

i re-elected include: Dan Davis, Plor- 

Jimmy Gaylord, Troy; Lester Neeley, 

n, and Rufus Davis, Dothan, vice- 

E ents; Mack Jackson, Alexander City, 

' 

representative; and Ed Watson, secre- 

1 reasurer. 

Censorship Advocates 

Win First Ohio Round 

COLUMBUS—Despite the opposition fight 

staged by the industry, the Judiciary committee 

of the state house of representatives 

this week (11) approved by a 17 to 4 vote 

a bill to set up motion picture censorship 

machinery in Ohio. The old state law recently 

was declared unconstitutional by the state 

supreme court, and the new bill is an attempt 

to circumvent legal objections by being 

more specific about the types of violations 

which can be prosecuted. 

The committee defeated an effort to limit 

film censorship to showings of films for 

children under 18 years, but another bill 

banning obscene comic books and showing 

of obscene films to minors was approved. 

LANGUAGE IS DEFINITE 

Following is the language of the approved 

bill in defining obscenity and incitement to 

crime 

"A film or portion thereof is obscene, lewd 

or lascivious if it, 

"1. Depicts an act of sexual Intercourse or 

sodomy, or 

"2. Portrays the genitals or genital regions 

of man or woman, or 

"3. Portrays any act of sexual immorality 

or sexual perversion, or 

"4. Expressly or by reasonable implication 

presents as an acceptable or proper pattern 

of social behavior either fornication, adultery, 

rape, seduction, prostitution, sodomy or 

"5. Is in dominant purpose and effect either 

erotic or pornographic, or 

"6. Employs language or depicts conduct 

of moral depravity. 

"A film is advocative or provocative of 

immediate crime or jeopardy to public safety 

if 

it, 

"1. Advocates or provokes an immediate 

breach of the peace, or 

"2. Portrays or presents as socially desirable, 

acceptable or respectable behavior the 

commission of acts which are criminal by 

laws of the state of Ohio or the United States. 

"3. Advocates or teaches the illegal use or 

the methods of illegal use of narcotics or 

habit-forming drugs, or 

"4. Advocates or provokes the immediate 

commission of acts which are criminal by the 

laws of the state of Ohio or the United States. 

"5. Portrays the use of any medicine, drug, 

substance or instrument by which the miscarriage 

of a woman is procured." 

LIABLE TO FINES 

The exhibitor, as well as the distributor 

and producer, is liable to a fine for showing 

unlicensed films. For the first offense 

the fine is from $25 to $300. For subsequent 

offenses the fine is from $300 to $500. 

In House Bill No. 712 which would ban 

obscene comic books and films, there is a 

fine of not more than $1,000 or six months in 

jail for showing films to minors under 18 

"any part of which is obscene or has a 

tendency to corrupt morals." 

In the same bill there also is a fine of 

$5,000 or six months in jail or both for violations 

of the following section; 

"No person shall produce, sell, lease, lend, 

give away, distribute for purpose of exhibi- 

Kansas Censors Fight 

End to Blue Pencil Rule 

Topcka, Kas.—The Kansas Censor 

Board is not giving up without a struggle. 

The board went to court this week in 

an effort to rule unconstitutional the 

recent action of the legislature repealing 

the state's 37 -year-old motion picture 

censorship law. The board contends that 

the censorship law was abolished by an 

amendment to a bill repealing an obsolete 

motor carriers license fee act, and 

that the action violates a Kansas statute 

which prohibits combining two unrelated 

subjects in a single bill. 

The board further contends that because 

of this double feature many legislators 

did not realize they were voting for 

abolishment of film censorship. 

Harold Fatzer, state attorney general, 

filed a motion for a restraining order to 

prohibit the secretary of state from having 

the law included in the 1955 statutes 

book which goes to press shortly. Otherwise, 

the law goes into effect the moment 

the books roll off the press. 

As the book is due July 1, the court has 

been asked for a speedy decision, so that 

it can go to the state supreme court for 

a special hearing. As far as the basic 

question of censorship is concerned, the 

state high court already has upheld the 

author of the censorship board to censor 

motion pictures. 

tion, exhibit, or have in his possession or 

under his control for any purpose, 

"A. An obscene motion picture film. 

"B. Any motion picture film, the exhibition 

of which has created a public disorder, or 

from the exhibition of which a public disorder 

is imminent. 

"Possession of any motion picture film of 

the kind described herein shall create a 

presumption that such motion picture film 

is intended for sale, lease, or distribution 

for purposes of exhibition. 

"The exhibition of a motion picture film 

which teaches or advocates that the violation 

of any of the criminal laws of the state 

of Ohio or of the United States, is a proper 

or desirable course of conduct, shall, prima 

facie, be deemed to create an imminent public 

disorder." 

Hollywood MPAA Office 

Silent on CLD Blast 

HOLLYWOOD— Local offices of the Motion 

Picture Ass'n of America and its Production 

Code Administration have been maintaining 

a significant silence since the Thursday (12) 

blast aimed at the code by Rev. Thomas F. 

Little, executive secretary of the Catholic 

Legion of Decency, at a luncheon meeting 

in New York. From here there has been 

no official reaction thereto, Geoffrey Shurlock, 

code administrator, having declined to 

issue any statement whatsoever. 

'3FFICE :: May 21, 1955 

15

THE OFF-BEAT AnRACTI« 

Selected by the Normandie, New York's 

T^/4 

KENNETH MORB 

The comedy h,t of Genev.eve-aod -Oocto. . the House 

JOAN COLLINS 

^ 

A^pted fo, ,he Seen o„d Direc.ed by NOEL LANGLEY 

'O^. ormanf//€ "Bl 

Some of the provocative ads that 

are selling this great comedy 

attraction in New York. 

Get f/ie pressboolic one/ s\ar\ 

planning your campaign now!

IVE BEEN L00KIN6 FOR! 

Hits," for American premiere engagement! 

"^'HR*'^ 

KENNETH 

MORE 

Britain's 

"Best Actor 

of the Year"!

Seven Films, All in Color, 

From Para, July-Sept. 

HOLLYWOOEX—Seven features, all in 

Technicolor and reported to represent an 

aggregate negative cost in excess of $20,- 

000,000, will be released by Paramount 

was 

during July, August and September, it 

revealed by George Weltner, the company's 

head of worldwide sales, during the special 

sales conferences that were held at the 

studio during the past week. 

The powwow was the first of such formal 

gatherings assembled by Weltner since assuming 

the stewardship of Paramount's distribution 

organization. Six of the pictures 

have been filmed in VistaVision. Weltner 

stated that each of the films will be backed 

by a large-scale merchandising campaign. 

SCHEDULE OF RELEASES 

Heading the schedule will be the general 

release of "Strategic Aii- Command," starring 

James Stewart and June Allyson, which 

currently is playing special prerelease engagements 

in a few U. S. and Canadian theatres. 

Also set for July release will be "The 

Seven Little Foys," starring Bob Hope, the 

film biography of one of the great figures in 

the entertainment world of a generation ago, 

Eddie Foy sr. August releases will be "We're 

No Angels," toplining Humphrey Bogaxt and 

Joan Bennett, a comedy from the French 

play; and "You're Never Too Young," starring 

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. September 

releases will be Frederick Brisson's "The 

Girl Rush," starring Rosalind Russell, Fernando 

Lamas. Eddie Albert and Gloria De 

Haven in a musical extravaganza with a 

Las Vegas background; Alfred Hitchcock's 

"To Catch a Thief," starring Gary Grant and 

Grace Kelly, a suspense drama filmed on the 

Fi-ench Riviera, and "Ulysses," produced in 

Italy and on the Mediterranean and starring 

Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, Anthony 

Quinn and Rossana Podesta. 

Four additional films will have June runoffs, 

including "The Far Horizons," a Pine- 

Thomas feature in Technicolor, chronicling 

the Lewis and Clark expedition, standing Fred 

MacMurray, Charlton Heston. Donna Reed 

and Barbara Hale; "Run for Cover," another 

P-T offering, also in W and Technicolor; 

"Mambo," Technicolor drama produced in 

Italy, and "Hell's Island," a third from P-T 

and again presented in W and Technicolor. 

Enthusiasm and optimism highlighted the 

week-long meeting. Weltner lauded the studio's 

picture-making forces "for keeping 

Paramount on top." Studio brass participating 

in the session included Y. FYank Freeman, 

vice-president in charge of the studio, and 

Don Hartman, executive producer. 

"It is mkaculous to me to see the succession 

of hit after hit that has come from the 

studio," Weltner said. "By quality of pictures 

particularly, Paramount's prestige and position 

throughout the world were never surpassed, 

and no one is more responsible than 

the wonderful production staff." 

Hartman, on behalf of the studio's creative 

personnel, spoke with enthusiasm about the 

pattern of Paramount production. 

"What is different at Paramount that has 

made it the leading studio is a constant urge 

and effort to do the best, to make the 

best pictures that are humanly possible," 

he said. "We feel this spirit of enthusiasm 

in all depai'tments, and it is comforting to 

know that you sales and merchandising forces, 

to use a football simile, are capable of carrying 

any pass we pitch." 

Freeman paid tribute to the "men of Paramount 

production whose blood, sweat, toil and 

teai's go into every picture made, and who 

suffer when it turns out not as good as ttfc. 

expected," and to Barney Balaban, PaiW 

mount Pictures president, "who has eanfj; 

the respect of everyone here and abra, 

and inspired us with his leadership. 

"I do not believe any other organization ii * 

the business represents the quality of p.'e -i 

sonnel, loyalty and esprit de corps that ' 

exij 

in Paramount today," Freeman continued. 

[ 

do not believe that any other studio e\i 

approaches the quality of Paramount pictui. 

Good picture making is not easy, but 

i 

pledge that no picture will be made unli 

the best elements available are put into 

, 

and we will make as many pictures as '^ 

market can absorb. 

"We are at the crossroads. We either > 

back or go forward. No motion picture ccpany 

can stand still. The minute it doest 

goes backward." 

In addition to the features above I15I;, 

the visiting sales executives were shown ccipleted 

prints of "The Ti'ouble With Har:" 

another Hitchcock picture; William Wyls 

"The Desperate Hours" and Hal Wallis' "% 

Rose Tattoo." They also viewed footage fip 

a number of films currently in product 1, 

including "The Ten Commandments." "Athing 

Goes," "The Court Jester," "Artists d 

Models" and "The Vagabond King." 

MERCHANDISING MEETINGS 

Simultaneous merchandising meetings ve 

presided over by Jerry Pickman, vice-presuii 

in charge of advertising, publicity and 

ploitation, which were attended by Sid I 

menstock, Pickman's assistant, and 

Carle, studio publicity chieftain. 

Farther from the home office were E 

(Ted) O'Shea, vice-president in charge 

eastern U. S. distribution; Hugh Owen, v 

president in charge of western U. S. 

Robert J. Rubin, administrative execu! 

Also present were division managers Goi 

Bradley, southern; H. Neal East, westi 

A. M. Kane, south central; Howard G. i 

sky, mideast; John G. Moore, easti 

Bryan D. Stoner. central; Gordon Lightst 

Canada; Sidney Deneau, assistant to O'S 

and Al Fitter, assistant to Owen. 

Paramount home office and field executives are shown here at 

the company's Hollywood studio for conferences last week. 

Seated from left, Gordon Lightstone, Canadian division 

manager; Robert J. Rubin, administrative executive; Sid Deneau, 

assistant to E. K. (Ted) O'Shea, vice-president in charge of eastern 

U. S. distribution; O'Shea; George Weltner, head of worldwide 

sales; Hugh Owen, in charge of western U. S. distribution; Al Fitter, 

18 

assistant to Owen; Jerry Pickman, vice-president in charge of Sj 

vertising, publicity and exploitation. Rear row, same order, S 

Blumenstock, Pickman's assistant; Howard G. Minsky, mldeB 

division chief; Bryan D. Stoner, central division head; John 

| 

Moore, eastern division manager; Gordon Bradley, southern divisl) 

topper; A. M. Kane, south central division chief, and H. Neal Eai 

western division head. 

I 

BOXOFFICE / May 21, 

i

^^^^fAHiimiovs mnv)OMiFs/ 

starring RORY CALHOUN • PIPER LAURIE 

JACK CARSON MAMIE Van DOREN 

• 

with REGINALD GARDINER -BARBARA BRITTON-DANI CRAYNE 

Directed by EDWARD BUZZELL- Screenplay by EDWARD BUZZELL, PHILIP RAPPand DEVERY FREEMAN 

Produced by SAMUEL MARX- A UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL PICTURE 

i| Another Picture with that Universal Appeal! 

j

! 

— 

His 

Kid Matinees Become 

Real Draw as 'Fun Club' 

By IDA BLACKBURN VANDIVIER 

HOUSTON—Why do theatres make such a 

hoop-te-do over children? Birthday clubs 

contests—stunts—prizes—free shows 

"First of all," said Village Theatre Manager 

Howard Skelton. "the idea is to show 

children selected features so they will see the 

kind of thing they should see." 

But theatre owners are in business to make 

money. Obviously they don't make a mint 

off the pint-size admissions. Good public 

relations—handy among other things for 

mama to do her shopping Saturday morning 

while Junior glues his eyes to the screen and 

nibbles popcorn. But it is good enough actually 

to pay off? 

Skelton thinks so . . . "It starts people going 

to shows, and yesterday's Pun Club members 

are tomorrow's teenagers and adults," he said. 

"For instance, the candy girl and cashier were 

some of our Piin Club kids. They and their 

friends long ago established the habit of 

going to shows"—specifically the Village! 

"and where the kids go, they usually manage 

to see that the papa and mama also go." 

What are some of these theatre-habit goodwill 

building ideas of Village's Skelton? 

Fun Club, in operation since 1941, is one. 

Always in the middle of putting on a contest 

or stunt, or dreaming one up. Manager Skelton 

had it brought to his attention by some 

of the children that they never seemed to 

win anything. He worked out a system that 

would permit recognition for all—The Fun 

Club. He had printed membership cards, perforated 

so that one side is a file card, giving 

name, address and birthday, and the other a 

membership card signed by the Funmaster. 

Each child signs up, once only, at a desk in 

the lobby. The cards are filed by months. 

Each week every child with a birthday received 

through the mail a birthday card and 

free pass to the show. 

"Getting that pass through the mail makes 

that kid the most popular one on the street. 

And pleases the parents," he said. 

Then at the Saturday morning show the 

ones with passes—and birthdays—are called 

to the stage where the audience sings "Happy 

Birthday" to them, and each receives a prize. 

Last count was over 1,600 signed members 

for Fun Club, and each week there are a 

few more. "It is the best public relations 

stunt we have pulled," the manager said. 

Asked if 

an audience of 600 to 700 youngsters 

didn't make an awful racket. Skelton said, 

"They make lots of noise, but they're no 

trouble. All kids make noise." 

He tries to know as many of his "kids" by 

their first names as possbile. When he sees 

a shy one he singles him out and gives him 

a pass or a piece of candy . . . Recently each 

Funclubber was given a letter good for two 

adult admissions to take home as a "gift" 

from him to his parents. 

As added attractions Village has had Bozo 

the clown, and local TV singing cowboy Don 

Mahoney. 

"The kids are stunt-minded," Skelton said. 

Among stimts staged have been a bubblegumblowing 

contest, and a paddle-ball contest for 

which the prize was a bicycle—bike donated 

by a local merchant, at no cost to the theatre. 

Puppies were given by a new unnamed petfood-shop 

for a name. A doll house was a 

prize given by a toy shop for a drawing prize, 

and a midget hot rod car was donated by a 

bicycle shop. 

"Is it difficult to get merchants to give 

all these prizes?" we wanted to know. "Not 

at all," Skelton said. "They're all very cooperative 

and generous." 

HEY KIDS! HAVE YOU ENTERED 

THE CONTEST FOR THE 

COCKER PUPPIES? 

FREE GUESSING BLANK 

Win rhe beautiliil bicycle now on display in the 

Village Theatre Lobby— Guess the height in ieet and 

inches of the PARROT in the N*w POLL PARROT SHOE 

STORE Sign across the street al 2427 University Blvd 

ConaratufaUo... QraJuf,lJ. 

mm. TOWER MMA RI«RO«S 

A puppy giveaway, promoted in cooperation 

with a pet shop, was a big attention 

getter. Guessing contests (center) are 

also popular. Below is a card sent to all 

high school graduates each June—a fine 

goodwill builder. 

CONTESTS, DRAWINGS, FREE SHOWS . 

to make the Fun Club an attraction for children. Top left shows a playhouse which 

a co-sponsor recently gave away to a Fan Clubber. The bicycle was a prize in a tie-in 

with a beverage company. Lower left shows a lineup of bundled wastepaper brought in 

by the kids in a paper drive. The entertainer (top) is Don Mahoney, radio cowboy 

who entertained the Clubbers in the lobby. 

A Model Builders Contest, in which th' 

children could build airplane, ship, motor 

cycle or anything else, brought in 114 model: 

Prizes were donated by a model builders sup 

ply store where the contestants had to go ti 

register, though it was not necessary for thei 

building kits to be bought there. Judges war 

two foiTner Army Air Corps pilots, dressed iJ 

i^niforms. Winning models were displayed iJ 

the candy case for a week, "attracting mud 

attention from parents and children." Ill 

merchant, said Skelton, felt he had beei 

well paid for his efforts. Prizes were a gaso 

line motor, a six-month and three-montl 

pass to the Fun Club, and ten other runneru 

prizes of kits, wood tools and models. A 

without cost to the theatre. 

It occurred to the management that mos. 

of their contests were for boys, so the 

staged one strictly for little girls. Tliey wei i 

to dress up in their mother's old clothes an i 

come to the theatre that way. A life-size dol 

\ 

donated by a local merchant for the priz I 

was kept in the candy case in the lobby ft, i 

several weeks before the eventful day. Theij 

were 243 contestants who drew much atter, - 

tion from people in the neighborhood on the 

way to and from the theatre. Winner 

(Continued on page 22) 

II 

20 BOXOFFICE :: May 21, 19 

1

"MAJOR BENSON 'is 

NOT A 

Q10&/ 

"THE PRIVATE WAR OP MAJOR BENSON", 

was conceived at the outset to be 

a great entertainment picture, a 

great box-office picture. That it 

also proved to "be a "GREAT" picture 

is not surprising ... we spared 

no pains to insure its success! 

Don't just take our word for it. 

P' GOSH SAKES, 

. . . and enj oy the 

HEART-WARMING EUN ! 

>^ 

'^•^"'^^^*«v/«r*x.z/ 

*Take your family or your sweetheart to the 

SPECIAL SCREENING your 

£/'/ EXCHANGE 

is arranging in your Territory!

Reade Sees Real Chance 

For TOA-AHied Merger 

NEW YORK—"There is a strong possibility 

of a merger of Theatre Owners of America 

and National Allied," according to Walter 

Reade jr., TOA board chairman. "TOA 

would welcome the united exhibitor front 

found in most other countries," he said. "It 

would earn the respect of distribution and the 

government." 

Reade added that a joint meeting of TOA 

and Allied heads could be "conducive" to a 

merger, but that "I can't tell what will 

happen." He did not think the matter would 

come up at the coming joint talks here on 

the date set originally for roundtable discussions. 

Those will start Monday (23) and 

continue through the next day. 

TOA is progressing toward affiliation with 

an international exhibitor organization, Reade 

said. He said he had talked that over with 

British, French and Italian exhibitors at the 

Camies Film Festival from which he had just 

returned. 

TOA has invited the Cinematograph Exhibitors 

Ass'n of Britain to send a representative 

to its Los Angeles convention, and 

will be invited to send a representative to an 

international meeting in Paris next year. 

"CEA wants us to join an international 

group," he said, "and I assume we will join 

after our representative reports on the 1956 

meeting." 

'War and Peace' to Roll 

In Rome on July 4 

HOLLYWOOD—Again terming the project 

one of the most ambitious yet to be undertaken 

by the motion picture industry, Dino 

De Laurentiis, head of Ponti-De Laurentiis 

films, disclosed at a Thursday (19) press conference 

here that a July 4 starting date in 

Rome has been set for "war and peace," film 

version of the Tolstoy novel. Paramount will 

release the feature. 

De Laurentiis said Hem-y Fonda has been 

signed to costar with Audrey Hepburn and 

Mel Ferrer and that the government of Italy, 

placing its official approval on the production, 

has sanctioned the use of the Italian army 

therein. 

Irwin Shaw has completed the final script 

and, De Laurentiis declared, the scope of the 

featui'e is so vast that three film studios in 

Rome will be utilized during the six-month 

production schedule. It will be lensed in 

Vistavision and Technicolor, with King Vidor 

directing and Mario Soldati, noted Italian 

megaphonist, handling the second unit. 

American Legion Joins 

Fight on Toll Television 

WASHINGTON—The anti-toll TV forces 

gained a particularly strong ally this week 

when the national executive committee of the 

American Legion petitioned Congress and the 

Federal Communications Commission to refuse 

to approve sub.scription television. 

It was revealed that the action was taken 

at a meeting of the Legion's executive committee 

in Indianapolis, national headquarters, 

after the New York department of the 

Legion adopted a similar resolution. 

Theatres Dropped From 

Wage-Hour Proposal 

Washington—The Labor Department 

on Wednesday (18) withdrew a recommendation 

under which employes of theatre 

chains with houses in more than one 

state would be covered by the minimum 

wage law. 

Stuart Rothmen, a Labor Department 

official, told a Senate Labor subcommittee 

that the administration had never intended 

to suggest that coverage be extended 

to these employes and to others 

in retail and service industries which do 

an interstate business. It was intended 

merely to suggest that Congress study the 

problem, he said. Sen. Paul Douglas (D., 

111.) promptly accused the administration 

of "weaseling" in the matter. 

The subcommittee concluded its hearings 

on Wednesday. 

The proposed change had been attacked 

by some segments of the film 

industry on the grounds that it would put 

some theatres at a disadvantage in bidding 

against others for scarce hit product. 

It was argued that some of the largest 

chains operate entirely within one state, 

and would therefore be untouched by the 

change, while some very small exhibitors 

have theatres in more than one state. 

Kentucky Exhibitors 

Form an Allied Unit 

LOUISVILLE—Over 60 theatres were represented 

at the organization meeting of the new 

Kentucky Exhibitors Ass'n, being formed as 

an affiliate of National Allied, held at the 

Falls City Theatre Equipment Co. here Tuesday 

(17). 

On hand to explain the aims, purposes, and 

aids of National Allied to the newly formed 

association were: Abram F. Myers, general 

counsel; Ruben Shor, president, and Wilbur 

Snaper, vice-president of National Allied; 

Chris Pfister, former president of Ohio Allied, 

and W. A. CaiTOll, executive secretary of 

Indiana Allied. 

The Kentucky group was established, and 

an executive board was set up to handle affairs 

of the new organization until such time 

that a regular election of officers and board 

members could be held. Appointed to the 

executive board were: E. L. Ornstein, Louis 

A. Airu, Anna Bell Ward, J. M. Reiss, Floyd 

Morrow and Bob Enoch, Ornstein was appointed 

a temporary national director by the 

executive board to be sent to the National 

Allied board meeting to be held in New York 

en May 24. 

Quite a number of those present pledged 

membership, and immediate plans were formulated 

for an all-out membership drive in 

the new organization. 

Netter Resigns Florida 

Post; Finske Succeeds 

NEW YORK—Leon D. Netter, president ol 

Florida State Theatres, will relinquish his 

position July 1 to take a consultant role ^th 

the circuit. He was a 

theatre executive in 

the home office of 

American Broadcasting-Paramount 

Theatres 

and its predecessor 

for 20 years before locating 

in Florida. He 

has said he wanted to 

"take things a little 

easier." He will continue 

to live in Florida. 

Louis J. Finske, circuit 

vice-president, will 

Leon D. Netter 

become president, according 

to Leonard H Goldenson, AB-PI 

president. Finske has been associated with 

Netter tlaree years in circuit operation, with 

headquarters in Jacksonville. Before thai 

he was president of Penn-Paramount Corp.' 

which operates theatres in Pennsylvania. 

TV Color Sent by Tape 

NEW YORK—Radio Corp. of America antjJ 

the National Broadcasting Co. recently tranS'! 

mitted over commercial television networl! 

facilities a color TV program recorded oi' 

magnetic tape. It originated here and wa 

telecast to St. Paul, Minn. 

Tun Club' 

(Continued from page 20) 

selected by the audience. This was so success' 

ful that Skelton plans to repeat it soon. 

Stunts that create much interest and ac; 

tivity are ones that tie in with the com 

munity, such as the paper-saving one in co' 

operation with the PTA during the schoc, 

months. Each room tries a little harder t 

collect the most papers because when thj 

papers are weighed at the end of each montl' 

Manager Skelton appears to give each ciul'i 

in the winning room a free pass to the theatre. 

Another promotional project worked oi 

with the community was the Easter theati 

party, done this year for the second time ar! 

planned to be an amiual event in the futur 

Thirty merchants, enlisted by Skelton, 

gether with the theatre, gave out 3,250 ticketj 

free to the children, and others allowed 

at the last moment without a ticket, brouglf 

a total of at least 3,500 children to see tl* 

four shows Good Fi-iday and Saturday men 

ings. Besides, on the following Monday tl' 

theatre entertained all the parochial scho' 

children who had not been out of school tl 

weekend. Sixty-two prizes, from bicycles 

$1 gift certificates, were given out, courteof 

the merchants, at no cost to the theati 

A parting gift to the senior teenager go' 

through the mail—a handsome card, not ui 

like an invitation to graduating exercises, 

starts out in capitals "CONGRATULATION( 

GRADUATE." Enclosed in the envelof 

usually is a pair of free tlieatre passes, 

addition to which the cai'd itself is an admi: 

sion good not only at the Village, but thr 

other Interstate Theatres in the area. 

And does it all pay off? It does, says Skv 

ton . . . Personal attention, recognition, kin 

Itness, generosity—they always boomerang. 

^:' 

22 BOXOFFICE May 21, ISl ' 

fa

' 

hit 

i U-I 

EXECUTIVES MEET IN HOLLYWOOD—Universal Pict|es 

home office sales cabinet, division and district manager and 

aj'ertising and promotion executives gathered at the U-I studios 

lit week for a mid-year sales executives conference and product 

r view. Charles J. Feldman, seated, fifth from left, vice-president 

general sales manager, presided at the week-long sessions which 

a t 

s rted Monday, May 9. 

Seated around the table, left to right: F. J. A. McCariy, southe 

and Canadian sales manager; Ray Moon, assistant general sales 

onager: Edward Muhl, vice-president; Alfred E. Daff, executive 

v?-president; Feldman; N. J. Blumberg, chairman of the board; 

I'rid A. Lipton, vice-president; A. W. Perry, president of Empire- 

Universal which distributes Universal's pictures in Canada, and 

P. T. Dana, eastern sales manager. 

Standing, left to right: Harry Fellerman. sales head of U-I's 

special film division; Mark Plottel, Empire-Universal sales manager; 

Joseph Gins, district manager; David Levy, district manager; 

James Frew, district manager; Irving Sochin, short subjects sales 

manager; Lester Zucker, district manager; Foster M. Blake, western 

sales manager; P. F. Rosian, district maJiager; Clark Ramsay, 

executive assistant to Lipton; Charles SimoneUi, eastern advertising 

and publicity department manager; Archie Herzoff, studio advertising 

and promotion manager; James J. Jordan, circuit sales manager; 

Henry H. Martin and Barney Rose, district managers. 

Jliks Pulitzer Prizes 

Fir Film Writers 

irw YORK—Why should not motion pictui 

WTiters be eligible for a Pulitzer prize? 

Th question has been asked by Jack L. 

Wiier, production head of Warner Bros., in 

a ;ter to John H. Hohenberg, secretary of 

thudvisory board on Pulitzer prizes at Colutiia 

University. 

'imer cited the vast audience reached 

byiotion picture writers. 

play," he said, "would have to run 

a ar and a half to reach 1,000,000 people. 

Pe daily newspapers have circulations of 

thi size, and practically no books sell that 

iiu oer of copies, even with the aid of repris. 

Yet any motion picture worth its 

sal is seen by upwards of 30,000,000 people, 

no.mly in the U. S. but in foreign countries 

as, ell." 

1 said that many writers could not have 

wo Pulitzer prizes if they had written especl^ 

' for the screen, and gave William Faulknei.nd 

Ernest Hemingway as examples, addinf 

hat the former has written for the screen 

an a novel by the latter is about to be 

prtjced. 

'irner noted that motion pictures might 

no lave been considered of sufficient stature 

loi iclusion in the award setup when it was 

5stilished 42 years ago. 

I said he spoke only for Warner Bros., but 

»a convinced that other major studios and 

prcicers shared his belief. 

Sneak Previews 

I:W YORK—United Artists has set up a 

'â^ty' 

sers of sneak previews in all exchange areas 

for Marty," Hecht-Lancaster picture which 

»'o the grand prize at the Cannes Film 

Pe; val, Francis M. Winikus, director of ad- 

'Miing, publicity and exploitation, said 

^\ will be more than 50. 

IODFFICE :: May 21, 1955 

i 

Hal Roach to Produce 

New TV Film Series 

HOLLYWOOD — Marking another bigleague 

alliance between motion pictures and 

television. Screen Directors Playhouse, a new 

telefilm series to be produced by Hal Roach 

jr. in association with the Screen Directors 

Guild, has been scheduled for an early production 

start and will be sponsored on NBC- 

TV by Eastman Kodak. Arrangements for 

production of the films, many of them to be 

in color, were made by the J. Walter Thompson 

Co. The anthology series will debut next 

October. 

Pointing out that the project will introduce 

"many outstanding directors" to TV, 

George Sidney, SDG president, said that all 

revenue received from the program will be 

turned over to the Guild's educational and 

benevolent foundation treasury. To date the 

megaphonists who have offered their services 

for at least one show each include John Ford, 

George Stevens, Sidney, Fred Zinnemann, 

Norman Taurog, Leo McCarey, Alfred Hitchcock, 

Jean Negulesco, Rouben Mamoulian, 

Mark Robson, George Marshall, Henry Koster, 

David Butler, Stuart Heisler, Delmer Daves, 

William A. Seiter, Norman Z. McLeod, Robert 

Wise, Bruce Humberstone, Les Selander, 

George Waggner, Claude Binyon, John 

Sturges, John Brahm and Ted Tetzlaff. 

Fox Inter-Mountain Host 

To NT Film Buyers 

DENVER—Fox Inter-Mountain played host 

to film buyers representing National Theatres 

subsidiaries at a three-day session which 

ended here Thursday (12). In attendance 

were Bert Pirosh, George Milner. Jim Cox. 

Pete Lundgren and Everett Sharp, Fox West 

Coast; Gordon Hewitt and Al Camillo, Fox 

Wisconsin; Ralph Adams and Harold Hume, 

Fox Midwest; Frank Christie, Evergreen, and 

Bob Selig, Fox Inter-Mountain. 

New Roxy Dividend Voted 

LOS ANGELES—A quarterly cash dividend 

of SIM cents a share on the outstanding preferred 

stock of Roxy Theatre, Inc., has been 

declared payable June 1 to stockholders of 

record at the close of business Friday (20). 

mammoth 

from 

Columbia 

23

: 

May 

i 

New Technicolor Process 

Revealed by Kalmus 

NEW YORK—An improved new Technicolor 

process embodies all the changes in its imbibition 

process that the company has been 

striving for since the advent of Eastman and 

Ansco Color type negative and that of large 

theatre screens. Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, 

president and general manager of Technicolor, 

Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, 

Technicolor Motion Picture Corp., said May 

13. 

He said the improvements involve changes 

in Technicolor matrices, in Technicolor blank 

upon which it prints, in the printing procedure 

and generally throughout the imbibition 

process, and that the technical result 

a "wonderful" picture in color with sharpness 

is 

of definition and especially color ren- 

dition. Release prints will be offered at the 

present price scale for imbibition prints. 

Dr. Kalmus said Technicolor can supply 

matrices for the manufacture of release prints 

which may be used interchangeably in any 

Technicolor laboratory wherever located. 

That would include the plants in London 

and soon in France as well as Hollywood. 

The company is now making progress in 

negotiating for the erection of plants in Italy 

and India, and has opened negotiations in 

Japan. 

Dr. Kalmus said that none of the existing 

processes of photographing and presenting 

motion pictures is the ultimate, and he did 

not see standardization in the immediate future. 

Substantial sums have been allotted for 

research toward that end. He predicted that 

the first use of video magnetic tapie for color 

recording will occiu- in the kinescoping field 

and "may well be in limited use by the end 

of this year." Its use for other purposes, 

particularly for motion picture theatres, he 

said it seemed to him, "will not come about 

for many years." 

Dr. Kalmus confirmed that there is the 

prospect of purchase or merger of other 

businesses with Technicolor in the same or 

related fields, but would not identify them. 

An announcement can be expected in a few 

months. 

Asked for comment on the effect of increased 

competition as a result of a build-up 

in capacity of laboratories making prints on 

Eastman Color positive, he said there is room 

for all laboratories in the color picture 

business. 

Dr. Kalmus said customers can obtain from 

Technicolor "almost any kind of print from 

almost any kind of negative." He mentioned 

Eastman, Ansco, Agfacolor, Ferrania-color 

and Gevacolor negatives. 

"Technicolor is by no means wedded to 

any particular kind of negative or any particular 

kind of printing process," he said. 

Other points made by Dr. Kalmus were: 

Technicolor stock is distributed among 

10,000 shareholders, with no one person or 

single interest owning as much as 10 per cent. 

More television shows will turn to color, 

and ultimately a great percentage of programs 

will be in color. 

Technicolor has materially expanded its 

16mm division to meet an increasing demand. 

It is not his custom to forecast earnings 

except in a very general way, but to net 

earnings of 36 cents a share for the first 

quarter can be added April earnings of about 

10 cents, making 46 cents a share for the 

first four months of 1955. If earnings for 

the year continue at that rate, they would 

be about $1.38 a share after taxes. During 

the last two years the company paid $1.10 

a share. 

Regarding the 1953 license agreement with 

DeLuxe Laboratories, DeLuxe is making progress 

toward installation of a laboratory, but 

"serious delays" have been met in finding a 

suitable property. 

record for a stockholder's meeting. Kalir 

read a series of questions that had been ask 

management during the year and answei 

them. There were only three questions fn 

the floor. To one Kalmus said the Technicoprocess 

was "no doubt substantially cheapi' 

than the Eastman process, and that he ( 

pected that to continue. To another he sii 

he was "bullish" about the company "o-; 

the long run." To a third he said the co,. 

pany was protected from competition by s 

"luiow-how" as well as by a combination! 

patents. 

Richter Demonstrates Nei 

35mm Camera With Souik 

NEW YORK—A new 35mm sound cams , 

the Arricord 35, with a ITVamm film m:- 

netic recording unit built within the bliii,( 

has been demonstrated here by Dr. Rot|t 

Richter, president of Arnold & Richter |1 

Holland. The U. S. distributor is the Kl^ 

Photo Corp. 

The Arricord 35 is a single-unit double-stem 

picture and sound recording camera r, 

use in newsreel filming, location sound fi;. 

ing, industrial work, low-budget and t(- 

vision film production, filming in confi.d 

spaces and for military purposes. 

It combines the latest Arriflex 35 m«l: 

llA camera with a magnetic recording ut 

using perforated 17y2mm film, both houa 

in a compact sound blimp with external citrols. 

The Arricord is driven by a 24-'lt 

constant speed DC, or a 110-volt synchron'isi 

motor. Motors may be exchanged quicjji 

and without the use of tools. 

A gear drive assures constant speed 

even flow to both the negative and magnio 

films. 

Artists Devising Awards 

For COMPO Audience Pc 

NEW YORK—Sketches of awards to^ 

made in connection with the national aiv 

ence poll will be made by an art direc* 

committee of the Council of Motion Piclf^ 

Organizations. Whether the award will biJl; 

the form of a statuette, plaque or other pw 

of decorative art will be decided after tlfe 

is agreement on a proper symbol. 

The committee consists of L. A. Met:3r 

of Buchanan & Co., Lou dayman and 0.« 

Kraus of Monroe Greenthal & Co.. ViJi 

Sedlow and Sam Roberts of 20th Cent* 

Fox, Henry Marcus of Loew's Theatres, 

Gold of Warner Bros., Tony Gablik, impendent 

industry artist. William Schneji 

of Donahue & Coe and Everett Walsb|)] 

Columbia. 

* 

from 

Columbia 

Technicolor Stockholders 

Re-Elect Four Directors 

NEW YORK— All four directors nominated 

by management were re-elected by voice vote 

at the annual meeting of Technicolor. Inc., 

Monday (16"). They are John R. Clark jr., 

Kay Harrison, Charles L. MacDonald and 

Harri.son K. McCann, each for three years. 

The number of shares represented in the voting 

was 1,407,918 out of 1,985,536 outstanding. 

Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus. president and 

general manager, presided. Others present 

were; McCann, George F. Lewis jr., secretary: 

Lester G. Clark, treasurer, and John R. Clark 

jr., assistant to the president. 

The meeting was one of the quietest on 

MGM Plans 38 Shorts 

For 1955-56 Program 

NEW YORK—Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer JU 

release a total of 38 single reel short subjjts 

. 

for the 1955-56 season, starting in Septem*. 

These are in addition to the 104 issues of NW 

of the Day, released twice a week. 

The cartoons in Technicolor will be heeii 

by six Cinemascope subjects. There also Ul 

be six more cartoons in Technicolor, as p 

as 14 Gold Medal reprints. 

The black-and-white shorts will includflx 

Robert Benchley reprints and six "The PS' 

ing Parade" subjects, both brought back.ecause 

of requests by exhibitors and the i> 

he, MGM reports. 

24 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

21.

' 

" 

' 

lETT E RS 

Jies Radio Plugs To Sell Films 

riBOXOFFICE; 

ith considerable interest I have been 

v;ihinK our teenage daughters in their 

i;its of radio vs. television. In fact, they 

the radio constantly during their study 

i' 

p,,ods-and for the life of me I cannot 

jilerstand how they concentrate. However, 

[ ijess they do, as their school grades are 

jlire average. Rarely do they look at lelenm 

and seem to prefer radio. 

jhe point that has impressed me is that 

nv'be this industry is missing a terrific suggdion 

force by not using radio announcemlits 

on a national basis at time signals 

sii as Bulova used in their time intervals 

a(i7 o'clock in the evening. It would be 

t&- for the announcer to say— "At the tone 

itjill be 7 o'clock—time to enjoy your local 

n^'ie theatre—watch for 'Strange Lady in 

Tj'n.' 

it were possible for each distributor to 

tj; 50 nights over the period of a year with 

se'n distributors, each night would have 

a ovie suggestion. Inasmuch as each picture 

Lsieing sold percentage, or have I been misinrmed, 

the distributor will receive a reti.i 

on his additional investment. 

!ore and more, I am convinced that newspaer 

advertising is losing its effect. I beli(? 

that most people are reading headlines, 

.sj ts, markets and individual interest items 

&> dropping the paper for hobbies, television 

oii riving in their automobiles. 

'i other words, at 7 o'clock in the evening 

tY\-e is no romance in the dishpan, but you 

w| find romance and adventure in your local 

tl-itre. 

B. er Enterprises. 

Khsas City, Mo. 

GEORGE S. BAKER 

Lapert to Distribute 

].A. Rank's 'Simba' 

OLLYWOOD—Lippert Pictures has ac- 

h^dling in key city playdates. 

ppert believes that "Simba" will be his 

or nization's biggest grosser in this country. 

H previously distributed three Rank films, 

1 ? Great Adventure," "Valley of the 

E; es" and "Secret People." 

Don M. Alexander Takes 

Alexander Film Helm 

COLORADO SPRINGS. COLO.— Don M. 

Alexander, executive vice-president of the 

Alexander Film Co. here, has assumed management 

of the film 

advertising firm. He 

succeeds his brother, J. 

Don Alexander, who 

died May 6 of a heart 

^f^ 

attack. 

The Alexanders pioneered 

in screen advertising 

in Keokuk, 

la., with a kerosene 

burning projector 

\ while in their teens. 

f. 

'''^ 

The present company, 

Don M. Alexander which employs 600, 

was opened in Colorado Springs in 1928. 

20th-Fox Has Drop 

InQuarierlyNel 

NEW YORK—Net earnings of 20th Century-Fox 

for the quarter ending March 26 

were $1,423,811 at the rate of 54 cents per 

share on the 2,644,486 shai-es outstanding. For 

the same quarter in 1954 the net was $2,048,- 

030, or 77 cents per share on the same number 

of shai-es. 

The financial report was presented at the 

stockholders meeting Tuesday (17). Spyros 

P. Skouras, president, said the lowered net 

was due to the fact the company had only 

four Cinemascope releases for January, February 

and March, and one of these "proved 

extremely disappointing at the boxoffice." 

"Since the company did not have any other 

pictures in inventory available for immediate 

release, we were not in a position to 

correct this condition, which is to be expected 

because of the law of averages. 

"We have decided, therefore," Skouras said, 

"to increase the number of pictures for release 

by an additional four to six pictures 

so that we always will have them in reserve 

to met a similar situation." 

He predicted that worldwide film rentals 

qied U. S. distribution rights for J. Arthur 

R k's "Simba." widely discussed story of the 

Ml Mau, filmed entirely in Africa in Eastm'l 

will reach $27,300,000, as contrasted with $22,- 

348,000 in the second quarter a year ago, and 

Color with a cast headed by Dirk estimated that by the end of June the com- 

Rjrde. The feature, with June 17 set as pany earnings for the first six months of 

nsonal release date, will be roadshowed, accc 

the year will be $1.25 to $1.30 a share as 

ing to headman Robert L. Lippert. compared with $1.17 in 1954. 

.Imond Baumgarten, president of Lippert's Gross income from film rentals for the 

cdpany, has departed for a swing of the second quai-ter was $24,890,203, compared 

ea anid midwest to screen the picture for with $25,480,282 for the same quarter in 1954. 

frjchise distributors and to discuss special Total gross income was $27,156,897 for the 

quarter ending Mai'ch 26, compared with 

$27,714,373 for the same quarter the previous 

year. 

CALENDAR °! EVENTS 

JUNE 

Icrico Loses Damage Suit 

WASHINGTON—Paul JaiTico has finally 

b6i defeated in his damage suit against 

K) Pictures for loss of screen writing 

crit on "Las Vegas Story." The studio withdr; 

screen credit following Jarrico's refusal 

to .estify before the House Un-American 

A( vities Committee on 5th Amendment 

P' nds, and Jarrico sued. He won the first 

*o t test, but lost in the appeals court. 

Oi Monday (16) the Supreme Court refused 

to -view, which has the effect of permitting 

th appeals court decision to stand. 

BC OFFICE :: May 21, 1955

. . . "Do 

. . "The 

: 

. . . Warwick 

. . . Carl 

. . Elizabeth 

. . 

: May 

'iôUcfcuMd êfiont 

By 

IVAN SPEAR 

Two Major Story Buys 

Made by Warners 

Mary Murphy in Atlanta 

For Movie Festival 

Here and there in the Hollywoodlands 

Starlet Mary Murphy represented Paramount 

at the Monday (16) kickoff in Atlanta of the 

Southeastern Movie Festival, backed by Georgia, 

Florida and Alabama exhibitors . . . Billy 

Friedrich to 

'The Big 

Produce 

Fisherman' 

still another contribution to the everpopular 

cycle of Biblical subjects will 

come from Century Films, headed by 

James K. Friedrich, with that company's 

announcement that it has obtained 

screen rights to Lloyd C. Douglas' "The 

Big Fisherman," the late novelist's final 

literary work. 

The opus, centering around Simon 

called Peter, will be placed in production 

this fall. In addition to the principal 

character, the film will treat of such familiar 

figures as Joseph of Arimathea, 

Pontius Pilate, Caiaphas, Herod, Salome, 

Antipas, John the Baptist, James and 

John. 

Friedrich recently produced, under the 

Century banner, "Day of Triumph," a 

story of the life of Christ. In past years 

he has made scores of religious subjects, 

principally for school and church distribution. 

Jones and Ernie Hare, early-day radio personalities 

known as "The Happiness Boys," 

will be biographed in a picture of that title 

which James O'Hanlon is penning for producer 

Vincent M. Fennelly at Allied Artists 

Columbia Acquires Rights 

To Two Jeffers Poems 

As the first of the celebrated narra- 

. 

tive poet's works to reach the screen, Columbia 

has acquired two poems by Robinson 

Jeffers, "Roan Stallion" and "Thurso's Landing," 

and placed them on Philip Yordan's 

production schedule. Both are localed in 

California's Monterey peninsula—the former 

the story of a stallion bought by a young 

farmer who loses his life under its hooves, 

the latter a tale of the love between a passionate, 

restless woman and her brutal, stoic 

Producer Philip A. Waxman 

husband . . . 

obtained screen rights to "The Cunning and 

the Haunted," a novel by Richard Jessup, 

which he will make for United Artists release 

following his upcoming "Pistolero." The Jessup 

tome concerns a 16-year-old boy who 

unwittingly becomes the accomplice to the 

escape of a convict from a Georgia road gang 

It Yourself," an original comedy by 

Donald Ridgeway hinging on the current letdad-fix-it 

craze, was purchased by Allied to Grace Kelly and from which the latter 

James Edmiston's original screenplay, 

backed away Montgomery, 

Artists . . . 

"Jagade," was picked up by Universal- daughter of Robert, is emulating her daddy's 

International, where the galloper will be directed 

show business career. She has been pacted 

by Harmon Jones. Set in Kansas in by Paramount to make her film debut in 

1873, it's the story of an outlaw who saves the second femme lead of "The Kiss-Off" . 

the life of the sheriff and then nearly wrecks Producer Bert E. Friedlob signed Sally Forrest 

and Vincent Price for top roles with 

the town before the sheriff mows him down 

in a gun duel . Bottom of the Bottle," Dana Andrews, Ida Lupino, Rhonda Fleming 

an action drama by the prolific French writer, and George Sanders in "News Is Made at 

Georges Simenon, was added to Buddy Adler's 

production slate at 20th Century-Pox. The 

Night," which United Artists will release . . . 

On loan from 20th Century-Fox, Robert Wagner 

will star in "A Kiss Before Dying," 

script will be prepared by Sydney Boehm. 

Crown Productions entry for UA . . . Audie 

a 

. . . Vincent Sherman has temporarily sidetracked 

plans for the independent filming 

of "Smashup" and "Two Came by Sea" in 

order to junket to Rome to direct, for Titanus 

Films, a Cinemascope version of an Italian 

novel, "The Story of the Black Cap" ... Its 

title switched from "The Game" to "And No 

One Answered," a suspense novel by Ann 

Head recently purchased by U-I has been 

assigned to Albert J. Cohen to produce. 

Charles Hoffman is writing the screenplay. 

Irene Papas. Greek Beauty, 

Draws Long MGM Pact 

Just inked by MGM to a long-term ticket, 

Irene Papas, Greek beauty, draws the feminine 

lead opposite Spencer Tracy in "Jeramy 

Rodock," taking over the role once assigned 

Murphy's co-star in "World in My Corner," a 

boxing drama soon to get under way at Universal-International, 

will be Barbara Rush 

Productions, headed by Irving 

Allen and Albert R. Broccoli, signed Victor 

Mature to a two-picture starring ticket, the 

initialer to be "Zarak Khan." It's for 

Columbia distribution . . . Myrna Dell, absent 

from Hollywood for the past two years, 

during which she has been active in television 

in New York, was inked for "Night 

Freight," a William F. Broidy production for 

Allied Artists. 

California P-T Magazine 

Honors 'The Eternal Sea' 

Two property acquisitions of major sig 

nificance have been made by Warne 

i 

Bros., which in turn has assigned both o 

them to Mervyn LeRoy to produce am 

direct. 

Scheduled for 1955-56 lensing is "Th 

Bad Seed," Maxwell Anderson's curren 

Broadway hit play, which was adaptei 

from the novel by William March. It i 

the story of a moppet who is a congenita 

murderess. With the stage run of th 

vehicle uncertain because of continue 

SRO business, the film dramatizatio 

thereof has no starting date. Ca^tin 

preparations will, however, begin imme 

diately. 

It will be preceded on LeRoy's slate W 

"Toward the Unknown," a story by Beirq 

Lay jr. dealing with experimental pland 

of the future as they are being devei 

oped today by the U. S. air force. Tn 

opus will depict the exploits of piloi 

who test the secret "X-model" aircraf 

Lay, in compiling factual backgrounds f( 

the yarn, conferred with Lieut.-Gei 

Thomas S. Powers, head of air researc 

and development for the USAF. 

'Man to Man/ Racetrack Stor] 

Under Way at Republic 

Jet-speed tempo appears to be the on 

of the day for the producer-director tin 

of William J. O'Sullivan and William Wi|y 

out Republic way. 

Hardly had the cameras been givei 

chance to cool off following completiouf 

"Headline Hunters," a newspaper dn 

starring Rod Cameron, Julie Bishop and 

Cooper, before they were switched on ai 

to launch filming of "Man to Man," a r ;• 

track story, on which lensing began Tueny 

(17). It also toplines Cameron and Coc 

with another Julie—Julie London—in 

femme lead. 

Another Panamint Film 

Set for RKO Release 

"The Brothers," a modern crime story Id 

against a New York background, has 

added to the schedule of Panamint Projc 

tions, the independent unit headed by 

Wiesenthal and Eugene Tevlin, and re^s 

Short takes from the sound stages: Republic' 

ing through RKO Radio. 

"The Eternal Sea." based on the career of Wiesenthal and Tevlin booked E 

Rear-Admiral John M. Hoskins, was selected Bohem and Louis Vittes to prepare the scr 

as one of May's "outstanding" releases by the play. They collaborated most recentljjon 

California Parent-Teacher magazine. Starring 

"Bengazi," which Panamint currently 

Sterling Hayden and Alexis Smith, it before the cameras. "The Brothers," to oil 

was produced and directed by John H. Auer early in the fall, will be photographei inj 

K. Hittleman Productions has been Technicolor and Superscope. 

incorporated by the producer-director, who 

plans the making of both theatrical and Columbia and Republic 

television films ... A total of 139 Hollywood 

Coordinating Committee entertainers made Announce Title Changes 

473 appearances on 90 charitable, public service 

Title-tinkers' corner: 

and governmental events during the last Columbia's "Sergeant O'Reilly," once kij«ii.| 

two months, according to figures disclosed by as "Tlie Gentle Wolfhound," is now taj'e 

George Murphy, HCC president. Army and "The Gentle Sergeant." 

navy hospitals were chief recipients, 42 show At Republic, "A Foreign Adventure,' 

business personages having made 349 appearances 

ring Yvonne De Carlo, was switched to ") 

on eight separate tours of such in- 

of the Islands," while "Deadline Alley'' 

stallations. 

came "Headline Hunters." 

26 BOXOFFICE : 

21,))

%^%-J%' 

Today, it's color . . . and precision. 

For example: a lovely girl dissolves 

to a glowing red rose. In black 

and white, a simple procedure; in 

color, a job requiring complete 

co-ordination of production and 

processing technics. To aid the 

industry in areas such as these, the 

Eastman Kodak Technical Service 

for Motion Picture Film maintains 

branches in strategic areas. 

Inquiries invited. 

Address: Motion Picture Film Department 

EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, Rochester 4, N. Y. 

J 

it Diviiion 

342 Madison Avenut 

...... York 17, N.Y. 

6706 Santo Monico Blvd. 

MidwMt Divir'-- 

] 37 North Wabash Av 

Chicago 2, Illinois 

< OFFICE :: May 21, 1955 

I 

27

T 

BOXOFFICE BAROMETE 

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

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

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

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

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

1 

\ida (IFE)

KATHARINE HEPBURN WARDROBE 

KEYS SUMMERTIME' CAMPAIGN 

Magazine Fashion Promotion, Prize Contest 

And Film Music Are Exhibitor Aids 

— 

Siiiiimerliiiie iii>f'iii( 

1 

The May issue of Cosmopolitan, with its 

13 pages of publicity and advertising in 

behalf of United Artists' "Summertime," 

initiated the nationwide campaign on the 

picture and established an over-all theme 

for exploiting the Technicolor comedyromance 

starring Katharine Hepburn and 

Rossano Brazzi. 

The promotion of a song from the film 

via records and sheet music, a national 

contest to be conducted at local levels, a 

newspaper co-op ad program sponsored by 

leading department stores and the return 

of Miss Hepburn to the screen will provide 

additional aids for showmen in publicizing 

engagements of the film. 

The Cosmopolitan break is based on Miss 

Hepburn's experiences during the location 

shooting of the pictui-e in Venice with the 

advertised co-op fashions being inspired 

by the star's portrayal in the film. The 

full-page ads by national manufacturers 

of women's wear appear in a special editorial 

section headed: "Summertime 

U.S.A." The firms include Ernest Donath 

Fashions, Sport-Kraft Blouses, Sporteens, 

Catalina Swim Suits, Helena Rubinstein 

Cosmetics, Valjean JeweliT and 'WTiite Stag 

clothes. A full-page, four-color UA ad for 

"Summertime" appears on the inside cover 

of the magazine. 

Scenes from the production illustrate the 

large promotional folder prepared by Cosmopolitan 

and sent to department stores 

acros.s the country. Titled, "How to Make a 

Bamberger's department store in Newark, N. J., 

used six window displays to exhibit styles inspired 

by Katharine Hepburn's wardrobe in "Summertime" 

ond featured in the Cosmopolitan magazine promotion. 

Credit cards plugged the UA release. 

Big Splash With Your 'Summertime' Sales," 

the folder contains information on the cooperating 

manufacturers, proofsheets of the 

ads and special brochures. Stores cooperating 

to date with window and counter displays 

include Macy's outlets in the New 

York metropolitan area, San Francisco and 

Kansas City: Bamberger's in New Jersey: 

Jordan Marsh, Boston: Crowley-Miner, 

Detroit: Earl Groth, Fort Wayne; Carson, 

Pirie Scott, Chicago; Levy's, Savannah; 

Davis-Paxon, Atlanta; New Williams, 

Birmingham: William Hengerer, Buffalo, 

and W. M. 'Whitney, Albany. 

On May 1, Bamberger's kicked off the 

newspaper co-op ad campaign with a fourpage 

display in the Newark News carrying 

credits for the picture, summer fashions 

inspired by Miss Hepburn's wardrobe in 

the picture and calling attention to the 

May issue of Cosmopolitan. A total of 29 

full pages of advertising will be used In 25 

cities from coast to coast. 

Each of the coop)erating manufacturers 

will send out special promotional pieces 

to their outlets in department stores, dress 

and specialty shops, including suggestions 

for tieing in with theatres and playdates 

of the picture. 

Eight expenses-paid vacations in Venice 

to the winners and $5,000 in runnersup 

prizes are being offered for the best endings 

to the sentence: "I would like to fly to 

Venice, where 'Summertime' was filmed, 

because ..." The Italian Airlines (LAD 

will present four national winners and 

their friends roundtrip flights to Venice 

for a week's vacation at the Hotel Danieli 

Excelsior. Free one-sheet posters, listing 

the prizes, contest blanks and heralds will 

be available for local promotion. Travel 

agencies, bus depots, air and rail terminals 

in all exchange areas will publicize the 

event which has also been plugged in a 

half -page ad in the May Cosmopolitan. 

A song featured in the picture titled: 

'Summertime in Venice" has been published 

in sheet music form and distributed 

to music stores. Leading bands and vocalists 

are being contacted for recordings by 

major companies. UA field men and the 

recording companies will arrange music 

promotion via disk jockeys and music shops 

when the records are ready for distribution. 

Tieups with all local stores carrying 

merchandise advertised in the May issue 

of Cosmopolitan should be made as soon 

as the picture is booked. The store or 

.stores may go for a cooperative paper ad 

and a fashion show featuring the clothes 

inspired by the film. The picture's release 

is timed perfectly for displays of all summer 

merchandise, besides the gowns and 

»li\Il!Ai;iMllimi!\ 

ommertsme 

finv

firee Contests on Air 

Ft Three for Show' 

MX Mink, manager of the Palace Theare-leveland. 

used just about every pub- 

Ici medium knowTi for "Three for the 

ai(r" and his over-all campaign was 

urier enhanced by the personal appear- 

Lfic^ of the three touring starlets from 

h( )icture. 

- e sirls, Laura Brock. ETvelyn Bunn 

ini June Edwards, in town for two full 

breezed through a heavy schedule of 

la;, 

je\ paper, radio and television appearan 

interview at the local baseball 

Huj before 25,000 pieople, hospital visits 

inun autograph-signing bee in the lobby 

e Palace. 

nk went for radio to the tune of 44 

milînute spots on three top local sta- 

He also ran a disk jockey limerick 

!Oi''st on WSRS for three days, a numbern- 

ovie title contest for three days on 

liJ and a name-the-couple contest on 

HTDK for five days. All contests received 

irtc'ipread response from listeners. In addi- 

;lo' all the stations used a special fiveni 

ite disk jockey interview transcription 

ifhh featured op>en-end interviews with 

Bev Grable. Marge and Gower Chamjid 

and Jack Lemmon. 

' 

e Mercury LP album, featuring songs 

frc "Three for the Show." also was a big 

lie; in the campaign. All Cleveland 

leiiys received the album and played it 

rre lently on their shows. The album also 

TO, used in window displays in leading 

mtc shops with appropriate credits. 

i'head-turning street ballyhoo had three 

prt'-y girls dressed in shorts and sweaters 

be.ing playdate information riding bicy( 

s through the main streets of town 

itight. 

"•leatre lobby displays, public library 

bo> marks, taxi posters, a flashy marquee 

SI? ay and special teaser trailers capped 

Mi:'s expansive campaign. 

Fi e 'Saturday' Trailers 

K>. Available for TV 

J part of its program of utilizing TV 

to I re-sell its Cinemascope productions, 

20t-Pox is making available free to exhil;ors 

a set of five TV trailers on "Violer 

Saturday." Four are 20 seconds and 

on s 60 seconds. Each makes provision at 

thi md for local station announcers to tag 

on udio theatre and playdate information. 

At ne same time the final frame is held 

"fi ;en" on the screen, enabling local static; 

to superimpose visual playdate and 

thitre credits. 

Tiigle' Art in Daily 

- I'e stills from "The Blackboard Jungle" 

we. reproduced in a Saturday issue of the 

Miieapolis Star prior to the opening of 

th film at the Gopher Theatre there. 

Su tantial additional space was obtained 

in le local dailies by Norman Levison. 

Mt-I publicist, and Ed Linder, Gopher 

>n£ ager. 

BO DFFICE Showmandiser :: May 21, 1955 

MAN WITH IDEAS UPSETS NOTION 

THAT TOWN WON'T GO FOR CO-OPS 

David Smith Puts Over ''Country Girl" Contest 

And Merchants Ask For More 

When David L. Smith, who learned the 

theatre business in Milwaukee under Erv 

Clumb. manager of the Riverside Theatre, 

and other promotionally active showmen 

in that city, came to Woodstock. HI., to 

manage the Miller Theatre for the Alliance 

circuit, he was told that the local merchants 

had never gone in for theatre cooperative 

promotions and never would. 

Both the newspaper editor and merchants 

themselves said. "It's a tough town; 

our merchants won't be exploited." 

\ SHOWMANDISER RE.'\DER 

But Smith is a man full of ideas and 

complete confidence in his profession. As 

he relates, he has read BOXOFPICE's 

Showmandiser section many years and has 

used many of the suggestions found there. 

Smith, as indicated, keeps himself up to 

the mark on all trade developments, and 

he recalled the current industry campaign 

to sell the public through the tradepress, 

and most recently at the MGM Ticket 

Selling Workshops, that a busy motion picture 

theatre is an asset to the community, 

bringing in people from the trade area. 

With this idea he ignored the skeptics 

and went to work. Within eight weeks he 

has put over several co-op promotions, and 

to cap it all has been asked to serve with 

the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce 

chairman and help him plan more co-op 

promotions. 

The largest deal he put over in the 

first eight weeks of his management of the 

Miller, completely overturning the merchant 

indifference of years, was a Miss 

Country Girl contest. For this 12 local 

businessmen furnished $200 in prize gifts 

and paid for one and a half pages of 

co-op advertising. 

MTTUAL BENEFITS ASSURED 

"They liked it," Smith reports, "because 

for one reason, as is often evident in such 

co-ops, the theatre was not the only 

beneficiary. The merchants got advertising, 

promotion ballyhoo, and as of now are 

ready for more. This has placed the theatre 

right in the middle of what could be 

a chain reaction of many similar deals." 

Smith's big co-op ad announcing the 

opening of "The Country Girl" and the 

winner of the Miss Country Girl contest. 

Miss Schwabe, 17, carried a 72-point banner 

based on the Academy award stars in 

the film, Grace Kelly, William Holden 

and Bing Crosby. The banner read, "The 

Finest and Best," and in smaller type, 

"Film Critics HaU 3 of THE FTNEST Performances 

in Years, AND It's on Every 

BEST List of the Year." The merchants' 

157 — 

Manager David Smith presents gold statuette to 

winner of Miss Country Girl contest at the Millet 

Theotre in Woodstock, III. 

ads also carried, "The Finest and the Best" 

line. 

The presentation of the awards took 

place before an audience of 400 at the 

Miller Theatre on opening night. 

The 12 merchants displayed in their windows 

and on the counter banners and stills, 

ballots and ballot boxes two weeks before 

opening. Three thousand ballots, paid for 

by the merchants, were distributed. Teaser 

ads ran seven days prior to the contest 

opening; store ads contained free plugs 

for the film; each merchant donated two 

prizes of not less than $15 value each, and 

a local jeweler provided a gold statuette 

for presentation to the winner. 

The entire campaign, except for the regular 

theatre weekly expenses, did not cost 

the Miller Theatre one cent. 

Mag Tie-In Gets Cards 

On 'Girl' All Over City 

Mel Jolley. manager of the Century in 

Hamilton, Ont., has a tough job to get 

merchants to display window cards, even 

for passes. He beat the problem recently 

by a tie-in with the local distributor for 

Time, Inc., which not only paid for the 

window cards but distributed them in all 

its local magazine outlets. The 14x22-inch 

bristol card, printed in two-color silk screen 

process, read: 

"For TIME of your Life visit the Century 

weekly for all-star enjoyment . . . Bing 

Crosby, Grace Kelly and William Holden 

in 'The Country Girl.' now at the Century 

. . . Three big stars for weekly reading enjoyment 

LIFE, TIME and SPORTS 

. . . ILLUSTRATED."

' 

' 

i 

'Balile Cry' Parade 

Snowballs to Civic 

Air Force Day 

All Englewood, N. J., it seemed, took part 

in Air Force Preparedness Day. Business 

and civic organizations put up displays on 

the air preparedness theme and thousands 

lined the streets to view a big parade. 

And the climax of all the activities was 

the Plaza Theatre, managed by Murray 

Specter. The bands, air force units, city 

officials. Boy and Girl Scouts, etc., paraded 

through the city right to the theatre, where 

e 50-minute program was conducted with 

Col. James D. Parker, commander of the 

88th Air Depot Wing, New York Air Reserve 

Wing, as emcee. 

The day of activity grew from an idea 

by Manager Spector. 

An Air Force parade originally was 

planned by Spector for "Battle Cry," but 

the city officials and military folk thought 

so much of the project that they made it 

into a community activity and the date had 

to be set up. 

The Air Force Reserve, Spector reports, 

plans to duplicate the preparedness event 

over the country. 

As finally executed. Mayor Gerould 

Clark jr., city clerk Joseph Carney, Captain 

Joseph Furley of the police department 

and Air Force Reserve officers headed 

the arrangements. 

The mayor proclaimed Saturday, April 

16, Air Force Preparedness Day, and appointed 

his wife Helen parade marshal. 

Taking part in the 40-minute parade Saturday 

morning were units from the 170th 

New York City 88th Air Depot Wing, the 

McGuire air force base band, a WAF 

.squadron from Camp Kilmer, the Dwight 

Morrow High School band. Boy and Girl 

Scouts and the Newark Air National 

Guard. 

Speakers at the Plaza ceremony were 

Lt. Col. Adolph Entwistle, commander of 

the New York Air Reserve Center: Maj. 

Helen Clark, wife of the mayor and a WAF 

reservist: Col. Bernard C. Rose, New York 

Air Reserve Center: Col. J. R. Callery, First 

Air Force. The March of Time "Air Age" 

was shown. 

The Plaza Theatre benefitted tremendou.sly 

from the event, while Manager 

Spector was filled with pride that his idea 

snowballed into such proportions. 

Invites All Athletes 

For "The Bob Mathias Story," Harold 

Cornelius, manager of the Liberty at 

Sharon, Pa., invited all high school athletes 

to be the guests of Bob Mathias at 

the theatre. 

DRIVE-IN THEATRE DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS 

A light for every purpose . . . controls traffic . . . 

assists patrons . . . helps move troffic. DIT-MCO 

lights ore wc.l-buHt, smartly styled and easy to 

mointoin. 

DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO. ,„\""j;'', '='*'. "°.. 

Columbia star Cleo Moore has placed a full 

page ad in the Editor & Publisher, magazine of 

the newspaper industry, expressing her thanks 

to 72 newspapers. The ad names papers in 23 

cities from coast to coast which were visited by 

Miss Moore in her two-month barnstorming 

public appearance tour on behalf of "Women's 

Prison." Miss Moore expressed in the ad her 

"sincere thanks to these newspapers and their 

staffs for the unfailingly courteous reception 

given me during my recent tour of the country 

for the Columbia picture 'Women's Prison.' " 

Little Rascal of Week 

Earns Theatre Pass 

Manager Foster Liederbach of the Kentucky 

Theatre, Lexington, Ky., reports the 

local TV station has a daily show at 5:30 

p.m., featuring old Our Gang comedies and 

When his own 

presented as Little Rascals. 

kids began making a fuss about seeing It 

daily, Foster hit upon a plan. 

He presented the station manager with 

the idea of selecting the "Little Rascal of 

the Week." The manager went for this 

100 per cent and put it into effect at once. 

Parents are urged to write in about some 

cute "good deed" their little rascal has 

done. Each week the best letter is picked 

to receive the Little Rascal award, a large, 

gaudy badge with the legend. "I'm the 

WLEX-TV Little Rascal of the Week." On 

the back is inscribed, "During the week of 

the bearer and family will 

be admitted free at all Lexington Schine 

Theatres, plus all the free popcorn the 

Little Rascal can eat!" 

This is plugged daily along with the 

various shows the Little Rascal and family 

will be able to see. The wirmer is presented 

on TV each week to receive his 

award, and the TV-Radio guide does a 

story, plus announcements, of the winner 

each week. 

If there is a TV station in town, check 

and see if it carries these Little Rascal 

shows. 

Finds Real Covered Wagon 

Harry Boesel, manager of the Palace at 

Milwaukee, rounded up a real covered 

wagon (and it really showed its age> for 

a street promotion for "Vera Cruz." 

— 158 — 

Troy Theatre Stages 

Muscles Contest 

1 

Breezy, humorous advertising backed u 

the Mr. Physique contest staged by Mat 

ager Dick Murphy at Proctor's in Troii 

N. Y. One insertion stated "Muscle Beac 

j 

Comes to Ti-oy." Another asked: "Wl- 

Will Win the Beautiful Trophy Symbol 

of Mr. Physique? Who Will Be Judgi 

ii 

•The Most Muscular'? Who Will Be Chose'î 

•Runner-Up' to Our Mr. Physique?" Tl •1 

two-column advertisement added, "See tl 

Best of the Up-and-Coming Body Buildei 

C'mon and Cheer for Your Favorite, Ei, t^ 

trants from as far as Rochester and Ncji 

York City." 

Other special copy stressed the "Posinl 

Health and Appearance" angles of the Mji I 

Empire State Physique competition, whii 

Murphy presented as part of Fabiai 

Spring Jubilee of Hits. He conducted sui, 

contests for several years while managii 

the Plaza in Schenectady. The body-buil, i 

ing enthusiasts are numerous in the M 

hawk Valley. 

"The Blackboard Jungle" opened 

Proctor's the day that Murphy ran t, 

muscle might. 

Costume Matinee Party 

Conducted for 'Crockett' 

For "Davy Crockett" at the Rialto Thetre, 

Lockport, N. Y., Irvin Weber had a d- 

play of oldtime flintlock rifles and pist; 

in his lobby, and this attracted a grt;; 

deal of attention from patrons. 

j 

The big deal was a costume party hil 

at Saturday matinee. Weber promoti 

some fine prizes for this: a complete ba:- 

ball outfit, fielder's glove, big league bl 

bat, a semi-pro baseball and passes : 

runnersup. He promoted the prizes fru 

one of the leading children's stores. \ 

local disk jockey, very popular with ki^, 

was judge for the contest, and it vis 

plugged over the radio well in advance 

not only by him, but by other disk jocks 

—along with the tune, of course. 

Weber utilized the record to full advi 

tage, playing it prior to the performarv 

and nearly everyone joined in singing 

A local music shop bought the backf 

the program. 

Continue Feud on Stage 

A local columnist and a disk jocj 

who had taken opposite opinions on 

tune "Slue Foot" from "Daddy Long Leif 

were invited by John G. Corbett, manafTof 

the Glove in Gloversville, N. Y., to '- 

pear on the stage of the theatre and discp 

' 

the song. 

A Portable Radio Stunt 

A group of girls carrying portable racKjj 

and proper signs were sent around doikj 

town streets of Tampa, Fla., and at spifj 

fied times picked up Sigmund Romfc arflr" 

tunes from "Deep in My Heart." The tuJS 

were picked up from the local station wl""6 

the disk jockey was running the Romtfg!^ 

platters for free. 

BOXOFTICE Showmandiser :: May21, 55«|v 

i

. . . His 

. . But 

. . These 

. . But 

. . Children 

L tiers and Preview 

Sart Ball Rolling 

[•oundwork promotion must be laid 

evi for the most widely heralded film 

,1 the customers know the playdates 

t proper word-of-mouth publicity 

sich a thorough groundwork job was carrid 

out by Elmer N. DeWitt. manager of 

th' Valentine Theatre in Defiance, Ohio, 

fo the Mailers Bros, circuit, for "A Man 

Cied Peter." DeWitt used the invitational 

so ening plus personal letters to editors 

of 11 publications in the area to get the 

ba rolling on this acclaimed religious 

dr na. 

ttrrs were sent to 185 Protestant min- 

^ 18 Catholic pastors, 44 school princi- 

,, 56 presidents of women's and men's 

cl«s and to all newspaper, radio and civic 

of|;ials and the mayor. The invitations, 

w.*;h mentioned the endorsement of the 

fi" by Di-. Louis Evans, Pi'esbyterian 

ci rch national leader, covered five 

coities. Some 112 responded. 

[eWitt also saw to it that an announcer 

w' on hand to make tape-recording inteiews 

of guests in the lobby after the 

sc, ening. It was aired over the station 

If. day after opening. DeWitt greeted as 

miy ministers as he could, assuring them 

ht.'ould appreciate a word from the pulpit 

oi! line in the church paper on the screen 

of' ring. This paid off well. 

lis letter to some 11 editors in the five 

cdities was in the form of a reader. Four 

cd plimentary tickets accompanied each 

leijr. Eight of the editors ran the reader. 

fhree thousand heralds were distributed 

at! 50 window cards placed. 

Wmy Showmen Submit 

!0 Pressbook Ideas 

ae Do-It- Yourself department inaugursjd 

by RKO Publicity Director Perry 

Li er in recent pressbooks has not only 

c^;ht on with exhibitors but, industryw^', 

offers proof that there are plenty 

of, ve-wire showmen in small towns as well 

asjig cities across the nation. 

^der this setup, RKO offers a $10 bill 

fo each Do-It-Yourself exploitation idea 

wl;h requires no cost, or a small cost, 

fra any theatre employe, if used in a 

pi'Sbook. Contributors' pictures are used 

»'i' the winning ideas, which can apply 

to specific RKO picture or may be workat 

for general exploitation. 

l)rty showmen picked up greenbacks for 

W

m 

BOXOFFICE 

A contest employing the most popular 

baby elephant in the local zoo was used to 

publicize "Escape to Burma" at the Broadway 

Theatre in Portland, Ore. A $25 defense 

bond was awarded as a prize for the 

one who came closest to guessing the correct 

weight of Rosie, young elephant in the 

Washington Park zoo there. The ceremonies 

at which the elephant was weighed 

to determine the winner was covered by 

local photographers and reporters with 

breaks in the local newspapers and on local 

TV and radio outlets. 

One corner of the Refreshery building at 

the Eatontown Drive-In, the Walter Reade 

Theatres 800-car outdoor theatre in Eaton- 

Reproduced here is the first co-op 

ad ever published on a motion picture 

in Chatham, Kent, England. Not quite 

a full page (it was 8 cols., 19 inches), 

it represents ten weeks of work by 

G. C. Williams, manager of the Regent 

at Chatham, an Associated British 

Cinemas unit. The newspaper editors 

were opposed at first, but then gave in 

and Williams went ahead to sell some 

eiglit ni Miii.ts in the Medw ' 

i 

NUGGETS 

The Odeon Theatres (Canada) advertising 

department has developed a die-cut after Manager Fi-ed Bartholdi set up the 

town, N. J., looked like an appliance store, 

red hand, which can be plastered all around merchandise he had accumulated for a 

town, to start people talking about "Simba," six-week giveaway. F^'ed tied in with the 

the theme of which is the Mau Mau terror Millhurst Mills, a local home furnishing 

in East Africa. The backs of the hands and appliance firm, for a six-week Monday 

(quiet night) giveaway, with the Mills 

are coated with an adhesive material which 

will hold fast for a long time, but will not furnishing washers, ranges, sinks, hot 

damage any surface on which it is placed. water heaters, fans, etc., with a retail value 

The die-cut measui-es about 8x6 inches. of $3,000. Bartholdi reports the extra activity 

has given his Monday nights a sub- 

The hand idea also has been worked into a 

teaser ad, about two and a half inches stantial boost. 

by one column, for use several days in George Snyder set up a series of jitterbug 

contests on the stage of the Palace, 

advance and spotted throughout the paper. 

The title in reverse type appears in the Syracuse, N. Y., for May. There will be 

palm. 

four of them, held each Fi-iday evening. 

Winners of each weekly contest wUl meet 

in the finals June 3. Prizes are to be 

awarded to the weekly winners, with a 

grand prize going to the finalists. Entries 

are accepted at the theatre. 

There is no age limit. All that is necessary 

is that each team consist of a male 

and a female; that is, no two boys, no two 

gii-ls. The contests are judged by instructors 

from local dancing schools. 

Impressive War Display 

By Guard for 'Toko-Ri' 

Tieup on 'End of Affair' 

Columbia is joining the Sortilege perfumes 

manufacturer in a campaign linked 

with "The End of the Affair" by window 

displays and co-op ads. Some 70,000, 11x14 

displays of Deborah Kerr endorsing 

Sortilege perfumes will be distributed 

thi-oughout the U. S. to top department 

stores, cosmetic outlets and other Sortilege 

outlets. Sortilege is sending a promotion 

letter to all its sales representatives directing 

them to cooperate. 

— 160 — 

Picnic Plates, Stickers 

Make Low Cost Gimmick 

Manager Tom Williams used a very sim, 

pie. but effective, gimmick for "Conques 

of Space" at the Margie Grand Theatri 

Harlan, Ky. 

Williams bought 50 paper picnic plate 

and had 50 gummed stickers made up wit 

the following copy: 

. 

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! 

Man's Greatest Adventure! 

it will happen in your lifetime See how . . 

target for OS man reaches his tomorrow! 

WILL FLYING SAUCERS ATTACK EARTH? 

See How It Could Happen In . . . 

"CONQUEST OF SPACE"—Technicolor 

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY at 

Schine's Margie Grand Theatre 

If this number appears in the boxoffice 

Friday, you will win FREE admission to see 

"CONQUEST OF SPACE" 

These stickers were numbered from 1 

50. Ten numbers were posted in the bo: 

office on Friday. The plates were thro* 

from the theatre onto the courthouse lav 

(opposite theatre) at 4 p.m. Thursday, tl 

day before. Signs were posted around tov 

on telephone poles all day Thursday wi 

copy: "Hey, Kids! Look! Flying Sau« 

Launched Fiom Top Margie Grand Tod 

at 4 p.m. With Free Passes. See . . . 'Co 

quest of Space,' etc." A 40x60 also carri: 

the same copy. 

This stunt attracted plenty of attentit 

and was certainly inexpensive. 

Williams also used a very effective stn, 

baUyhoo. He borrowed one large and :: 

small sections of sheet metal flues iroa,^ 

metal shop. He got a boy to wear this, t; 

larger section being used for the body ali 

the six smaller sections for his arms al 

Chett Posey, Adler Theatre Co. general 

manager at Marshfield, Wis., arranged one 

of the most impressive exploitations seen legs. An old silk stocking was put ov 

there for quite sometime. Once he had his head, with "antennae," and he wfi 

booked "The Bridges at Toko-Ri" into the rubber gloves and a sign plugging the p^ 

New Adler Theatre, he went into action, ture. This boy really got a lot of att(- 

and secured the assistance of the National tion and a lot of laughs. He covered \a 

Guard. This feat resulted in one of the downtown area on Saturday aftemcii 

largest displays of warfare equipment ever when everyone was out shopping. 

presented in the city. 

Along the wall, outside of the theatre, 

were rows of 105 howitzers, jeeps, mortars 

Book Campaign Started 

and machine guns. Another portion of the For UA's 'Robbers' Roost' 

large collection was on display in the lobby. A national book promotion backg 

Ten days before the grand opening of United Artists' "Robbers' Roost" in bdc 

the film, Chett and City Manager Abling stores, department stores and drug stos 

secured time on the radio. In addition, throughout the counti-y has been launcld 

they had the howitzer and jeep with two by Grosset & Dunlap, with distributiomf 

six-sheet boards, sandwich-type, parading G&D's special movie edition of the w(- 

about town with a public address system ern thriller by Zane Grey. The UA releA 

hawking the film and playing date. On will be hypoed in every exchange area a 

opening date, the entire array was assembled 

in front of the theatre. 

Posey reports that the theatre played to 

window, counter and rack displays feat'- 

ing book builds, scene stills and promimt' 

pictui'e credits. 

standing room only on the first day, and The UA exploitation force has prepa4i 

continued to draw excellent turnouts for a program of newspaper contests, vA 

the entire run of the picture. 

books and theatre passes to be awar^d 

entrants submitting the biggest listsif 

Zane Grey books and stories that they h/e; 

read. 

DIT-MCO UNIVERSAL 

DRIVE-IN SPEAKERS 

Finest you con buy . . . outlasts others 

Attractively desiincd . . . Beoutitul 2-tono fn 

Best Tone Quality 

4-in. weather [tocfecl speiiker unit. He.i«y duty 1.J7 

alriico 5 m.icjnel. Hanger fits any make junclioii 

Special volume control. All speakers above oround ,il 

ing constant impedance at amrlifier. 

HIGH QUALITY AT LOW COST 

DRIVE-IN THEATRE MFG. CO. 'fAlfci'.';' 

BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: May 

21, '55 

I

t 

i(P Women Still Get 

leisor Board Salaries 

" RISBURG— Several months ago Dein- 

.iivernor George M. Leader named 

!iiocratic women to replace the three 

i:i women on the Pennsylvania ceni, 

but the latter three are still on 

payroll as the general assembly has 

I 

lined the Democrats. The legislathe 

state agency find the situation 

c\ iiu> one. legally and politically. Demo- 

»t' leaders have introduced a proposed 

nelment to the censorship act in efforts 

'"falize" the present state censorship law 

hicl was ruled unconstitutional by a recent 

; Supreme Court decision against state 

ins ship generally. 

Tf Pennsylvania agency in the last biin-n 

spent $229,000 and collected $310,000 

I l.i from film distributors for censorship 

ad or censor seals. Theatre owners, of 

contribute these fees from admissions 

)Ui'. 

tk^ from theatregoers, in addition to the 

•'• 

ind various taxes assessed against 

nile. Republican office employes, inx't 

IS and investigators of the censor board 

3nl ue on the state payroll. There are 

mGOP staffers in the board's Pittsburgh 

ffi^ When and if the "legalizing" amendler! 

is passed, Democrats will take over all 

i> now an administration measure 

-t't'ks an additional $6,000 for the 

en, board budget. William J. McClure, 

onMler for the Department of Public Intriîon. 

explained that the additional money 

I rided for the purchase of equipments for 

tie lowing of modern widescreen pictures, 

"hooard now rents a screening room for 

iiclipurpose. 

)i;ats of Stockholders 

n.'cDc Legal Tangle 

PXADELPHIA — An interesting tax 

qui;ble involving the Academy of Music may 

lav' ramifications in the theatre business. 

t .s(ms that it has been a policy to give free 

ickj to stockholders. The Department of 

t«\,iue wants to know whether this can't 

e iisidered a taxable dividend. However. 

Off legal eagles on the stockholders side 

that the original charter of the Acadmvias 

lai 

in it express provision for the 

inorâtors 

to retain a right to a seat in 

he'lome" they had created. Furthermore, 

It is theoretically nontransferable so 

be sold nor can any financial benele 

from its possession. A legal 

.i; block is what is the effects—legally 

—of a stockholder not exercising his 

t" i« attend after he has received his comilir.iUary 

"ducat." If that is a dividend. 

ihi would you say happened to the "divilen 

" Also, the question arises, what should 

e I 

? status of a stockholder who holds his 

ha i because he is public-spirited, or perlap 

because he likes the investment, but 

*tj opera and will not go to the opera? 

^f Tiportance of this problem is that some 

MKJiolders of film exhibition companies 

receive free tickets. Are these free 

5 to be considered additional taxable 

e? If so. the stockholders may patronize 

theatre's competitor down the block. 

Kjg Calder. New York TV and stage actor, 

lay a top role in "Timetable." 

Philadelphians Get on Early Starf 

On Rogers Hospitol Compoign Plon 

Details of Philadelphia audience collection for Will Rogers Hospital the week of 

August 15 were ironed out at a luncheon. Left to right: Birk Binnard, Stanley Warner 

publicity chief; Mort McGill, Buena Vista; Howard Minsky, William Mansell and 

Charles Beilan. Paramount; Joe Engel, Screen Guild; William Madden, Loew's; Lester 

Krieger, assistant to Schlanger; Charles Zagrans, RKO. Seated: Wurtele, Columbia; 

Ed Heiber, Universal-International; Lou Formato, Loew's; Ted Schlanger; 

Sam Diamond; John Turner. United Artists; Ulrich Smith, Paramount, and Gene 

Tunick, United Artists. 

PHILADELPHIA—Detailed plans for the 

audience collection in behalf of the Will 

Rogers Memorial Hospital were discussed at 

a luncheon May 13 given by Ted Schlanger, 

Stanley Warner zone manager. The collection 

will be limited to one day during the week 

of August 15, with each participating theatre 

selecting the day. but with the assui-ance it 

Philadelphia Rejects 

Theatre Vertical Sign 

PHILADELPHIA—Esthetic tastes seem to 

vary. The city's ai-t commission does not see 

eye to eye with the Stanley Co. of America, 

operator of the Stanton Theatre, first run 

house at 1620 Market St. Tlie art commission 

turned thumbs down on a proposed $30,000 

sign, claiming that it was protecting Perm 

Center pursuant to the authority it has. 

Robert B. Wolf, one of the attorneys for 

Stanley, contended that the new sign was 

"esthetically desirable," and described the design 

as "dignified and attractive." He said 

that the theatre owners were "trying to get 

rid of the honky-tonky atmosphere" of the 

south side of Market street. 

Roy F. Larson, commission chairman, 

pointed out that the board had approved a 

horizontal sign for the film house some 

time ago. Wolf replied that his client was 

now asking for a vertical sign because it felt 

the other one would not be seen with the 

large marquee on the Fox nearby. 

John Fredrick Lewis jr., an art board member, 

said the proposed sign would be 67 feet 

high, or equal to about seven stories. Lester 

will be on the opening day of the attraction 

for the week. 

Schlanger is exhibitor chairman for the 

drive in this area and Sam Diamond, 20th 

Century Fox branch manager, is exchange 

chaii-man. Pledge cards are being circulated 

to assure participation by as many theatres 

as possible. Similar meetings are being held 

in other parts of the country. 

Philadelphia was second only to New York 

in last year's campaign to raise funds. 

As a preliminary buildup for this year's 

campaign, which has the approval of Theatre 

Owners of America. National Allied, Independent 

Theatre Owners Ass'n of New 

York, the Metropolitan Motion Picture Theatre 

Owners Ass'n and the leading circuits, 

a national closed circuit telephone broadcast 

is to take place June 7. 

In the Philadelphia zone, the Stanley 

Warner Theatres will cooperate 100 per cent. 

Full support also has been assured by United 

Paramount Theatres and the Fox Theatre. 

Branch managers who attended the 

luncheon were: Charles Beilan, Warners: 

William Madden, Loew's; Uirich Smith. Paramount; 

Charles Zagrans. RKO; Ed Heiber. 

Universal-International; Gene Tunick, United 

Artists; Lester Wurtele. Columbia: Joe Engel, 

Screen Guild, and Mort McGill. Buena 'Vista. 

District managers present included: William 

Mansell, Warners: Lou Formato, Loew's: 

Howard Minsky, Paramount, and John 

Turner, United Artists. 

Krieger, vice-president of Stanley-Warner, 

commented that "the modern trend" in theatre 

fronts was a vertical sign. To this Philip 

Price, a t)oard member, countered that "the 

trend is getting worse, not better." 

ITOA Nominates Officers 

And Board for 1955-56 

NEW YORK—Independent Theatre Owners 

Ass'n has nominated the following officers 

for 1955-56: 

Harry Brandt, president; Max A Cohen, 

fu-st vice-president and board chairman; 

William Namenson. second vice-president; 

Julius Sanders, third vice-president; Abraham 

Leff. fourth vice-president: Leon Rosenblatt, 

treasurer; Edith Marshall, secretai-y, and John 

C. Bolte jr.. sergeant at arms. 

Besides Cohen, the following were nominated 

as dh-ectors: 

Richard Brandt, Samuel Einhom, Norman 

Elson. Samuel Freedman. Melvin Miller. Al 

Shukat. Jack Hattem. Larry Kurtis. Ray 

Rhone. Walter Neithold, Martin Levine, Irving 

Renner, Ben Knobel. Jack Rochelle. Martin 

Lewis. Jean Ansell. David Weinstock. Irving 

Trencher. Murray LeBoss and Al Margolies. 

0)FTICE :: May 21, 1955 29

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

: May 

I 

j 

'Prodigal' and 'Saturday Strong 

As Mild Weather Affects Holdovers 

NEW YORK—Despite the pleasant spring Trans-Lux 52nd Doctor in the House (Rep), 

13th wk 110 

weather, which continued to affect the many Victoria The End of the Affair (Col), 3rd wk. . . 1 05 

Broadway holdovers, two new films, "The Warner Cinerama Holiday (SW), 14th wk of 

two-a-day 145 

Prodigal" at the Capitol and "Violent Saturday" 

at the Mayfait-, had strong opening 

World Aida (IFE), moveover, 26th wk 100 

weeks. However, "Revenge of the Creature" 

'Jungle' 2nd Week 

was just fair in its opening week at the Globe. 

240 in Baltimore 

Best of the holdovers continued to be 

BALTIMORE—Grosses for the most part 

"Strategic Air Command," in its fourth week 

were below average. Exceptions were "Tlie 

at the Paramount, where no succeeding film 

Blackboard Jungle," "Daddy Long Legs" and 

has been set, and "The Blackboard Jungle," 

"Doctor in the House." 

which equalled the previous big week in its 

Century The Blackboard Jungle (MGM), 2nd wk..240 

ninth week at Loew's State. "Interrupted Film Centre Doctor in the House (Rep) 125 

Melody" at the Radio City Music Hall and Hippodrome Run for Cover (Paro), 2nd wk 90 

Keiths— Hell's Island (Para) 90 

"Daddy Long Legs" at the Roxy each had 

Little Born Yesterday (Col) 85 

good holdover weeks and both will stay a Mayfair Ma and Pa Kettle ot Waikiki (U-l) 85 

New—Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 100 

third before being succeeded by new films Playhouse To Paris With Love (Cont'l), 2nd wk.. . 95 

late in May. Several others, including "The Stanley—Jump Into Hell (WB) 80 

Town Hit the Deck (MGM), 4th wk 85 

End of the Affair" and "Run for Cover," had The Cinema The Game of Love (Times), 4th wk.. 80 

mild thu-d and final weeks at the Mayfair 

and Criterion, respectively. 

Business Just So-So 

"Marty," which won the Cannes Film Festival 

Award May 10, continued to be the 

At Buffalo 

BUFFALO—Business was just so-so all 

sensation in the art house field with a fifth 

around. "The Prodigal," in its second week, 

week which had the strongest weekend business 

in the theatre's history. Still holding up 

fell off precipitately in Shea's Buffalo. "Mad 

at the World," at the Paramount with 

well were: "Gate of Hell," in its 22nd week 

"Strangers," an Italian-made feature with 

at the Guild; "Doctor in the House," in its 

Ingrid Bergman, as an associate feature, held 

13th week at the Ti-ans-Lux 52nd St., and 

up to about normal business. "Daddy Long 

"To Paris With Love," in its seventh week at 

Legs" was close to average in its second 

the Pine Arts Theatre. "Cinerama Holiday" 

stanza in the Center. 

also continued to draw crowds, predominantly 

out-of-towners, m its 14th week of two-a-day 

performances at the Warner Theatre. 

Eight new films, the largest group since 

pre-Easter week, opened in the Broadway 

fu-st runs durmg the week. They included 

"Far Horizons," in VistaVision, and "Strange 

Lady in Town," in CinemaScope. 

. 

I 

(Average Is 100) 

Astor East of Eden (WB), 10th wk 110 

Baronet Hiroshima (Continental) 110 

Capitol The Prodigal (MGM) 

.140 

Criterion Run for Cover (Para), 3rd wk 

.100 

6th wk. 

-Mad at the World (Filmakers), plus 

55th 

.100 

St 

Fine Arts 

Chorlie Chaplin Festival, 

To Paris With Love (Continental), 

7th wk 

.120 

Globe Revenge of the Creature 

.110 

(U-l) 

Guild Gate of Hell (Harrison), 22nd wk. ... .105 

Carnegie One Summer of Happiness 

Little 

(Times), 8th wk 

.100 

Loew's State The Blackboard Jungle (MGM), 

9th wk 

.120 

Mayfair Violent Saturday (20th-Fox) 125 

Normandie Chance Meeting (Pacemaker), 

4fh wk 

.100 

audeville 15 

^t—Stri itegii nd (Para), 

4th wk 

Pans— Heartbre ak Ridge (Tudor), 2nd wk 100 

Radio City Musk: Interrupted Melody (MGM), 

Holl 

Dw 2nd wk 130 

Roxy—Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 140 

Sutton Marty (UA), 5th wk 200 

CLASSIFIED ADS—EASY TO USE 

Buffalo The Prodigal (MGM), 2nd wk 90 

Center Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 95 

Century An Annapolis Story (AA) 90 

Cinema Leonordo DaVinci (Pictural) 95 

Lafayette Davy Crockett, Indion Scout (UA), 

95 

nount Mad ot the World (Filmokers). .100 

Par. 

'Prodigal' Far in Front 

At Pittsburgh 

PITTSBURGH — Outstanding was "The 

Prodigal" at the Penn. 

Fulton Violent Saturday (20th-Fox) 75 

Harris Tight Spot (Col), 5 days 50 

Penn The Prodigal (MGM) 170 

Stonley ^New York, Confidential (WB) 85 

Mount Vernon Exhibitor 

Withdraws Suit vs. WB 

NEW YORK—The T. C. Theatre Corp., 

Mount Vernon, N. Y., theatre owner, has discontinued 

its antitrust action against Warner 

Bros, in district court. Matthew Kutinsky, 

president and sole stockholder, cited his 

health as a reason and agreed to a dismissal 

with prejudice. That ends the possibility 

of any further action. 

Lawyers for Warner Bros, cited expenses 

incurred by the defense and asked for an 

award of costs. Judge John F. X. McGohey 

told them to file a formal application mentioning 

an amount. 

Construction Firm Stages 

Closed-Circuit Telecast 

NEW YORK—-Certain-teed Products Corp., 

manufacturers of roofing, siding and gypsum 

materials, Monday (16) became the first 

company in the construction field to use 

closed-circuit television to introduce a new 

product line. 

Box-Office Television, Inc., in cooperation 

with the American Broadcasting Co., staged 

the telecast on a ten-city network. William 

P. Rosensohn is president of BOTV. 

Australian Business Good 

Says John Glass of Hoyts 

NEW YORK—Australian theatre busin* ' 

this year is up substantially over last yei 

says John Glass, general manager of Hoj 

Theatres, Ltd., a 180-theatre circuit in whi 

20th Century-Fox has a heavy interest. T 

circuit gets about 30 per cent of the Austr 

lian gross. It also operates three of the fo 

Australian drive-ins. These are located 

Sydney and Melbourne. 

Business has been increasing yearly 

World War II. CinemaScope is given t 

credit for the present upswing by Glass, T 

cU-cuit is 100 per cent equipped. 

There are 84 theatre seats per 1,000 popa 

tion in Australia, contrasted to 34 per 1,( 

in the United States and 32 per 1,000 in t 

[ 

United Kingdom. 

TV competition is not a factor. Resen. 

seats policies are found profitable. They l*. 

sen the possibility of a boxoffice recessii 

which will hit about the end of this year at 

early in 1956, says Glass. 

Before CinemaScope the Regent Theatre i 

Adelaide (population 450,000) showed 48 % 

tures a year. Since the introduction of C 

emaScope the annual total has been 16, 

Glass will confer on upcoming product 

the 20th-Fox studio before returning ) 

Australia. 

Broadway Glamor Debut 

j 

For 'Seven Year Itch' 

NEW YORK—Twentieth Century-Fox a 

open "The Seven Year Itch" June 3 at L(xs 

State Theatre with all the glamor of a Bro - 

way affaii-. Invitations are going out to m;y 

celebrities in many fields, and there wille 

newsreel, still, television and radio covera 

The Armed Forces Radio Service and 'e 

Voice of America have been asked to sui;y 

international coverage. 

Stars of the picture will sell tickets at e 

boxoffice and sign autographs the morrg 

of the opening. Among them will be In 

Ewell, Roxanne, Robert Strauss and Dortij' 

Ford. The picture stars Marilyn Monroe ,d_ 

Ewell. 

Reade Catering Division 

Is Awarded New Contrac 

NEW YORK—The catering department)t 

Walter Reade Theatre has received a citract 

for the operation of food and beveue 

concessions at the new Storyland Ville, 

children's playground and museum, in AsLry 

Park, which will open Memorial Day. 

Reade organization also has signed a (> 

tract to service Fau'ytown USA, another cjdren's 

recreational center, in Middle Isl i, 

L. I., which will open at the same time. 

The catering department also services sdt 

car racing and trotting tracks, beachffltl 

and highway restaurants and its own M 

nonaffiliated theatres in New Jersey 14 

New York. 

RKO Gets British Film 

HOLLYWOOD—RKO Radio will ha|Ie 

distribution, outside of Great Britain,tin 

"Portrait of Alison," now being lenseqln 

London by Tony Owen's Anglo Amalgam|8^ 

Films. Starring Terry Moore and Rtr* 

Beatty, it is being directed by Guy Greii. 

30 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

21 iS y

: May 

'4 

NEW Ballantyne 

Double Cone 

The new double cone speaker brings a new standard to 

drive-in sound. Lower speaker resonance gives greatly 

improved reproduction to more nearly equal the quality 

of much larger speakers. A great new development in 

design allows you to change outer cones in seconds, by 

merely dropping a new one in place without special glue 

or tools. An entirely new cone assembly that is reinforced 

with a metal ring and spider completely eliminates rattles. 

Cone is absolutely non-collapsing. New strength, 

new sound and great durability in a die cast aluminum 

case make the new Double Cone second to none. 

"A" Series. Deluxe model in handsome blue and white 

baked on undercoat and finish coat. 

• ''f. 

"Q" Series. Exactly the same as the "A" Series except 

for handsome two-tone gray hammerloid finish. 

. . Frank 

. . Irving 

. . When 

. . Clayton 

. 

BUFFALO 

•Phe Women's League of Variety Tent 7 

staged a rummage sale this weekend to 

raise money for tiie club's cerebral palsy 

clinic in the Children's Hospital. Dorothy 

Atlas, Lola Bennett and Clint LaFlamme 

were active in the sale . . Dr. Philip Liebig 

. 

of Granville is the owner of the Northside 

Drive-In recently reopened up near Watertown. 

The Variety women will hold their final 

and most important meeting of the working 

year on May 26 in the Delaware avenue headquarters 

and elect new officers. The league 

will hold its installation dinner June 10 at 

6:30 p. m. when the candle light ceremony 

found so impressive at previous installations 

will be repeated. Dorothy Atlas, president, 

has issued the following statement at the 

close of her term of office: "Thanks to all 

the chairmen, co-chairmen and members of 

the various committees and all the members 

of the Women's League who worked so 

conscientiously and efficiently toward making 

this past one, a big year for us. I am truly 

pleased with the results achieved and am 

very proud we received the citation from 

Tent 7 in recognition of our endeavors while 

I was your president. It is very gratifying 

to note that we have more than tripled our 

membership this year." 

The Broadcast, official publication of Tent 

7, sends May birthday greetings to the following 

members and industryites: Marjorie E. 

Bermel, Gertrude Bleich, G. Emerson Dickman, 

N. David Goldstein, Sophia Gorsky, 

Helen Hample, Margaret Hayden, Helen 

Holme, who. by the way, is being congratulated 

on the recent arrival of a baby 

girl: Marvin Jacobs, Rosalind Kirsch, Philip 

Kaplan, Edw. H. Kavinoky, Stanley Kozanowski, 

Norine Manning, Anthony J. Mercurio, 

Robert T. Murphy, Mary Perna, Barbara 

Quinlivan, Anne Resnick, and Jerry J. 

Spandau. 

Lou Levitch, manager of the Granada, a 

Schine community operation in North 

Buffalo, has been elected president of the 

newly organized North Main Street Business 

Ass'n. Practically all 38 community 

businessmen units in Buffalo were formed to 

promote trading and improve customer relations 

in their immediate neighborhoods. 

However, this new North Main Street group 

has been organized primarily "to furnish 

assistance and advice to young boys and girls 

in the University Heights area." Levitch declares 

merchants realize teenagers have 

many problems and also that boys and girls 

of today will be customers of tomorrow. For 

these and other reasons, the association is 

going to concentrate upon offering a helping 

hand to deserving boys and girls, 

Mrs. Elmer F. Lux has been installed as 

president of the Democratic Club of 1,000 

Women at ceremonies in the Park Lane in 

Buffalo . 

L. Smith is a Rochesterlan 

for whom the Eastman Theatre in that city 

SELBYS^ SCREEN TOWERS 

SELBY INDUSTRIES, INC. 

13S0 Ghent Hills Rd. Akron 13, Ohio 

Montrose (through Medina, Ohio) 6-7211 

WELCOME TO BUFFALO — Keefe 

Brasselle, star of "Mad at the World," 

was welcomed to Buffalo by Paramount 

Theatre Manager Edward Miller at the 

Municipal airport as the star alighted to 

start a day's tub-thumping of his starring 

vehicle, now current at the Paramount in 

Buffalo. 

really has memories. Frank has been with 

the theatre since its opening in 1922, first 

as treasurer, more recently as house manager. 

Before Smith was hired by the late George 

Eastman for the theatre post, he worked for 

a time in the old National Theatre. He was 

in his teens then, an assistant prop boy, 

and Marie Dressier was in town in an opus 

called "Tillie's Nightmare." In the course 

of the production. Miss Dressier, a hefty 

woman, fell on Smitty and knocked the wind 

out of him. He was carried to her dressing 

room and his recuperation was speeded by 

a $5 bill that Miss Dressier gave him. 

Robert T. Murphy, managing director of 

the Centui-y, got some splendid publicity in 

the Courier-Express when the newspaper 

arranged a party in the theatre last Saturday 

morning to pay tribute to a select group of 

carriers for their outstanding records in the 

past three months. The presentations were 

made at the theatre party, some 1,500 carriers 

attending and Bob got some good space in 

the sheet for his current show. 

Nat Marcus issued invitations for the 

screening of "Mr. Roberts," in the Center. 

Monday (23) at 10 a. m. to representatives 

of the press, radio and TV. 

Maury P. Slotnick, manager of the Cinema 

in Rochester, has been wondering what 

would happen if by any chance someone 

would be forced to inquire loudly if there 

were a doctor in the house. The Rochester 

Cinema has been teeming with doctors since 

the opening of "Doctor in the House." The 

other night there were more than 100 medical 

students in the theatre. Slotnick admits 

there's no way to count the doctors in the 

audience, but he knows there have been many 

at all presentations of the British-made 

comedy. The Cinema has been doing turnaway 

business with the picture. 

Richard T. Kemper, zone manager for Dipson 

Theatres and resident manager of the 

Erlanger, was in a group of Saints and Sinners. 

Kemper usually dons his famous all 

white Buffalo Bill costume when he appears 

I 

at such events , Keefe Brassn illl 

was here in behalf of "Mad at the Worl'' '|||i 

current at the Paramount there, he i, ^ 

widely interviewed by press, radio and ' 

and was guest of honor at a party staf. *' 

in Club 31 by Lou Lieser, head of Lieser Pi 

Distributing Co., which is handling the p. 

ture in upper New York state. Among th" 

at the party were Mr. and Mrs. Art Kroli, 

Mrs. Lee Gross Adams and hubby; Edwi 

Miller, Richard Smyth, William Sweitand 

Mrs. Lieser. 

Sandford Weiner of Picture Films î 

here for the opening of "Leonardo da Vim' 

in the Cinema Theatre. Weiner does all ; ,,,., 

booking of the film personally. Pictura p. v" 

duced the fUm. 

Rochester's Police Chief William Winfil 

is making up an honorary chief's badge r 

George Murphy, MGM public relations exe.. 

tive who was a guest of honor at the rectd 

Rochester police ball. It will be the 9Ud 

badge in Murphy's honorary collection. Le!ri( 

Pollock, manager of Loew's Rochester, has 

ceived word from Hollywood that Murij^ 

went back with glowing reports of 

Rochester visit and of the police dance. 

Mere 400 at Fightcast 

In the Albany Grand 

ALBANY — The Rocky Marciano-1] 

Cockell telecast Monday night went ii 

the record books as the weakest boxofifl 

attraction in the five years of TNT cl(S| 

circuiting here, Paul V. Wadden's Grd 

drawing a mere 400 in the 1,500-seat h('ie 

at $3.30. Attendance had never been less tn 

950 for a televised bout at the Grand d 

usually had been at or near capacity ir 

heavyweight championship fights. In ft, 

there had been turnaways. 

The Marciano-Cockell match also reporUly 

drew poorly in the 2,480-seat Proctor'it . 

Troy, six miles from here, where the tap '.ttlj 

was $3.30. 

BALTIMOR 

T Stanley Baker, head of the Hicks-BCJ 

' Theatres, returned from a southern trip, it 

eluding New Orleans Atkii* 

. 

is resigning as assistant manager at the KM 

fair to take a job with the city as asphalti 

spector . 

Lesser of Commander P« 

was in town on business. 

Natt M. Hodgdon, manager at Keiths i( 

the News, had his father in town ifl 

Maryland's eastern shore for a visit . . Ii 

, 

ney Collier, manager of the Stanley, puts 

a double horror show at midnight on Fr>i 

the 13th. using "Calling Dr. Death" and '^

, . 

Arlene 

J. 

: lur 

; 

years, 

I if 

. . Barney 

. . Mel 

. . Trans-Lux 

• 

. . . Steve 

. , 

PHILADELPHIA 

to^ph J. CuUinan, manager of the Arcadia 

has been held for a further 

at central police court on a charge 

uig an $8,800 holdup and stealing 

Kirn a safe in the Arcadia Theatre. 

Iilup occurred last February 27, and 

II played the part of a beaten victim. 

:r theft was May 3 . . . Paramount 

ii model airplane kits to promote 

ic Air' Command," which is a tribute 

,-\ir Force. Only thing wrong with 

.iloitation gifts was that they were 

Navy fighter planes. 

n .Martin and Jerry Lewis headlined a 

performance in Convention Hall 

day (181 for benefit of Church of 

01 Lady of Perpetual Help in Levittown 

Treegoob, Screen Guild secretary, 

iwi (in a vacation . Cohen, Logan 

manager, was in a hospital . . . 

Kaplowitz, Stanley Warner in-town 

\rr, has gone to New York to work for 

ipany there. Bill Yurasco takes over 

Mt/,'s chores . Fox's Pennypak 

Tljitre has reopened. 

. hn Rose has started suit against Mel Fox. 

::t was commenced by summons, and 

iil)laint is to follow. When the corntiled, 

the cause of action will become 

1 of public record . is 

matinees until June 8 for installat 

11 of a new projection .system and 

Cinemascope . . . Mel Fox is reopening the 

Holme in Holmesburg section of Philadelphia. 

Allied Artists and Stanley Warner Theatres 

hosted a cocktail party in the Bellevue- 

Stratford Hotel to honor Kevin McCarthy, 

star of "An Annapolis Story" . . . Jack DeWall, 

RKO auditor, was married while working at 

. . . Bill Porter, AA 

the local exchange 

auditor, was at the local branch. 

'Jungle' Receives Blame 

For Teenage Incidents 

SCHENECTADY — Newspapers 

printed 

stories on threatened "gang" warfare and 

juvenile outbreaks, blamed by police on the 

effect of "Tlie Blackboard Jungle," which 

played Pi-octor's for a week. Tlie Union-Star 

captioned a long story, "Movie Blamed for 

Teenage Gang Incident." It quoted Sgt. 

Joseph Monaco and Patricia Wellman of the 

Youth Aid Biu-eau as stating, "Several teenaged 

members of one of the gangs said they 

had banded together after seeing the motion 

picture, 'The Blackboard Jimgle.' " 

"The youths, from 15 to 19, patterned themselves 

after the young movie toughs to the 

extent that they affixed the names of their 

gang to the backs of jackets," Monaco said. 

Monaco and Mrs, Wellman were further 

quoted as saying that most of the boys and 

girls they questioned "were not the gang 

type and had not formed any such allegiances 

before seeing the film." About ten were taken 

to police headquarters for questioning. 

SYRACUSE 

Cam Gilman, manager of Loew's State, tossed 

a luncheon for Marian Carr and Yvonne 

Doughty, the Mickey Spillane girls from 

"Ki.ss Me Deadly," who were in the city for 

personal appearances. Joe Mansfield of 

United Artists was traveling with them . 

Max Rubin, manager of Schine's Paramount, 

staged a Friday the 13th midnight show, 

with professional magicians Sir Felix Korim 

and Harris Solomon . . . William Lambert is 

the new assistant to Paul Johnson, manager 

of the Eckel Theatre. 

Sol Sorliin of RKO Keith's has lined up 

"Davy Crockett" for a June showing . . . 

Arch LeVine, head of the Schine real estate 

department, spent a day in the city looking 

over Schine properties . , . George Snyder of 

the Palace Theatre in Eastwood has a kiddy 

. . . Harry 

safety club with Acme Markets 

Unterfort, Schine zone manager, notes that 

Harry Wiener, manager of the Schine house 

in Oswego, recently had a Hollywood mock 

premiere, working with fraternities and sororities 

from Oswego State Teachers College. 

The ceramics department at the college made 

miniature black Oscars for prizes . . . Jack 

Mitchell, manager of Schine's Auburn Theatre, 

has started a baby contest, winner of 

which will appear on television . . . Bob 

Anthony of the State Theatre in Cortland 

recently had a cow-milking contest on stage 

Perozzi of MGM in Buffalo was 

in the city to promote "The Prodigal," playing 

at Loew's State. 

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Bd^FFICE :: May 21, 1955 33

. . . Richard 

. . Leon 

. . Edward 

. . Michel 

. . 

. . Johnny 

: May 

BROADW Ay 

IJazard E. Reeves, president of Cinerama. 

Inc., flew to Paris to supervise the opening 

of the Empire, the 19th house fco show Cinerama 

productions ... Dr. Renato Gualino, 

president of IPE Releasing Corp., returned 

to Italy after a stay at the New York office 

. . . Albert Cornfield, managing director in 

Europe and England for 20th-Fox International, 

has returned to the continent following 

New York conferences. Edward F. 

Lomba, South African director of 20th-Fox 

International, went back to South Africa, 

while Albert Leonard, manager of the 20th- 

Pox office in Caracas, is here for meetings 

with Murray Silverstone. 

Charles Levy, Walt Disney Productions, 

left to begin a tour with Fess Parker, who 

plays the title role in "Davy Crockett, King 

of the Wild Frontier," released by Buena 

Vista . J. Roth, west coast publicity 

coordinator for United Ar-tists, went back 

to Hollywood after a week of meetings with 

Francis M. Winikus and other UA executives. 

James Velde, UA western division manager, 

left May 15 for a one-week visit to the Los 

Angeles and San Francisco branches, while 

B. G. Ki-anze, UA general sales manager, 

went to San Francisco to attend the Marciano-Cockell 

championship fight, for which 

UA has the distribution rights. 

George Weltner, head of Paramount worldwide 

sales, planed to Los Angeles May 15 

for the one-week sales meeting . . HaiTy 

. 

Brandt, president of Brandt Enterprises, and 

his wife; Louise AUbritton and Mildred Natwick, 

actresses; Oscar Homolka and his actress-wife 

Joan Tetzel; Alicia Markova, ballerina, 

and Guy Bolton, playwright, sailed 

for Europe Dmytryk, who will 

. 

produce and direct "The Mountain" for 

Paramount, left for Europe May 13 to scout 

locations in the Alps. 

Danny Kaye, who has finished "The Court 

Jester" for Paramount, arrived from Hollywood 

en route to London, where he will begin 

a return engagement at the Palladium 

Ney, actor, sailed for London 

May 18 to prepare his musical, "Asleep My 

Love," in Europe. 

. 

. 

Robert Mitchum, star of "Not As a Stranger" 

for United Artists release, left for Europe, 

accompanied by Mrs. Mitchum, to star in the 

film version of the TV show, "Foreign Intrigue," 

which UA will also release . . . Merv 

Griffin, former Warner Bros, contract player, 

has the singing lead in the revival of "Finian's 

Rainbow," which opened at the City Center 

Theatre May 18 Ray, young British 

player in King Bros. "The Boy and the 

Bull," recently completed in Mexico for RKO 

release, came to New York May 16 for ten 

days of TV and radio appearances . . Robert 

Strauss, featured in "The Seven Year 

Itch" for 20th Century-Fox, is in New York 

to attend the June 3 opening at Loew's State. 

Patricia Ann Moclair, daughter of William 

J. Moclair, managing director of the Roxy 

Theatre, was recently married to John 

Michael Dunphy, an ex-Marine officer associated 

with the Arabian American Oil Co. 

The bride is employed by Batten, Barton, 

Durstine and Osborne advertising agency . 

Sandra Gordon, secretary to W. C. Gehring, 

20th Century-Fox executive assistant sales 

head, was married May 14 to Frank Popovich 

of New York at the Cathedral of St. 

PROMOTED—Louis Phillips (left), is 

the new general counsel of Paramount 

Pictures Corp., succeeding the late Austin 

Keough. Phillips was promoted from assistant 

general counsel for Paramount 

Film Distributing Corp. Louis A. Novins, 

at right, was elected secretary. He has 

been assistant to the president and assistant 

secretary. 

Nate Blumberg, chairman of the 

Sava . . . 

board of Universal Pictures, became a grandfather 

when his daughter, Mi's. Stanley 

Meyers, gave birth to a son at Santa Monica, 

Calif. . . . Marvin Kirsch, Radio Daily executive, 

and Harold Rinzler, Randforce Theatres 

official, have been named co-chairmen 

of the New York Cinema Lodge of B'nai 

B'rith to be held at Vernon Hills Country 

Club June 9. 

James Woolf, who produced the British picture, 

"Coui-t Martial," which Edward Kingsley 

is distributing in the U.S., went to the coast 

for the Los Angeles opening May 18 . . . H. M. 

Besser, executive vice-president of Altec 

Service Corp., and Marty Wolf, assistant sales 

manager, are on a sales trip through New 

Joseph Bisdale, assistant 

York State . . . 

to Oscar A. Morgan, Paramount short subjects 

and newsreel sales head, is on a Florida 

honeymoon with his bride, Ines Passarella 

of the Army and Air Force Motion Picture 

Lars McSorley, member of the 

Service . . . 

IPE publicity staff, is the proud father of a 

son. Liam McSorley, born to his wife, Marjorie, 

at Doctors' Hospital. 

James Agee, 45, Dies; 

Wrote UA Screenplays 

NEW YORK—James Agee, 45, poet and 

writer of screenplays, including the Academy 

winning "The African Queen," died May 16 

of a heart attack while en route to a doctor's 

office. 

Agee also wrote the script for "The Night 

of the Hunter," forthcoming United Artists 

release directed by Charles Laughton, and 

he narrated the current IPE release, "Green 

Magic," Italian-made travel feature, also 

wrote the screenplay for "Red Badge of 

Courage" for MGM and wrote and narrated 

the commentary for "The Quiet One." For 

.some years, he wrote film reviews for Time, 

the Nation and other publications. He is 

survived by his wife, Mia, and three children. 

Betty Ann Davies 

LONDON—Betty Ann Davies, 44, British 

screen actress, died in a Manchester hospital 

May 14. She was featured in the current 

Associated Artists release, "The Belles 

of St. Trinian's," as well as in "Outcast of 

the Islands," "Tonight at 8:30," "The Blue 

Lamp" and other British films shown In 

the V. S. in the past few years. 

ALBANy 

i 

fJarry Kaplowitz is the new Stanley Warni .' 

film buyer for the New Haven zone, i), 

eluding the Albany district. He replac 

Larry Lapidus, who resigned, as of May ;; 

to assume a similar assignment with Prai 

Damis' drive-in chain in New Jersey. Ka|, 

lowitz, formerly of Philadelphia, was schei 

uled to visit Albany this week. A delegatii' 

of local branch managers drove to Nii' 

Haven Monday for the testimonial dinnl 

which industry associates gave Lapidus. 

ji 

Bill Rennie of Rennie Nut Co., Larchmoi' 

was in town Monday. He attended the Ms; 

ciano-Cockell fightcast at the Grand wi! 

George H. Schenck, Tristate Automatic Cani 

Corp. manager and Jack Hamilton, Be: 

Vending Co, manager. Tuesday, Rennie drci, 

to Gloversville for a huddle with Stan:) 

Werthman, head of concessions for the Schii 

cu-cuit . . . Harold Leitch, former Berlo Ver. 

ing man at area drive-ins and more recen' 

Berlo manager in Cumberland, Md., has bei 

transferred to Scranton, Pa., in the sa:: 

New Berlo stand manage, 

capacity . . . 

Dallas C. Chamberlain at Fabian's Saratc-i 

Drive-In, Latham; Bill Curry at Alan I 

Iselin's Auto-Vision, East Greenbush, si'r 

ceeding Ed Waldman and his wife, moved: 

Thacher Park. 

Remodeling of the major portion of '^ 

former Rose Lounge at Sheraton-Ten E;f 

Hotel into new quarters for the Variety C|l; 

has been started after Tent 9 officers sigid 

a three-year lease. A new entrance is be.^ 

created and the present check room n« 

rowed. The new house committee schediu 

a meeting with an interior decorator I 

the Sheraton organization to decide whet 

any of the furnishings in the present Clina 

avenue rooms can be used. The hotel 'J 

supply some furniture and decorations, '.i 

space, on the first floor, is air conditioil 

and othewLse is superior to the current he;- 

quarters. The Variety Club will move in i- 

proximately September 1, Chief Barjr. 

George H. Schenck stated. \ 

The committee arranging the Variety Oil's 

annual golf tournament at Shaker Rife 

Country Club June 6 comprises Norman Jaf^ 

ter, Ken Farrar, Nate Winig and Aaffl 

Winig. Eighty participants, including gutjs; 

are expected. There will be additional ir 

tendees at the dinner in the club house )• 

lowing the tournament. Pi-izes, as usual, te 

promised for all. The Colonie course is )i 

of the longest and finest in this sectil; 

the club house, one of the most beautiful 

Filmrow visitors included Clarence Dw 

Poland-Northville-Frankfort exhibitor, W 

. 

Harold Strassman, operator of the Esk 

Albany Gardner is increa,l( 

by 100 cars the capacity of the TurniB 

Drive-In, Westmere, industry circles refft 

He opened the ozoner in 1953 . . . TrafJy 

struck at Aust's Open Air Theatre, ScS 

Glens Falls, when a 3-year-old girl ran p 

a car operated by a 24-year-oM Greem^ 

man. He was quoted as telling state p(M 

that he did not see the girl but felt the d" 

pact when the car struck her. Stopping, H 

driver found her under the wheels, 

fatality occurred shortly after nightfall. p< 

child, accompanied to the drive-in by P 

parents, was pronounced dead on arrivaW 

Glens Falls Hospital. A verdict of accidejaf 

death was issued by a coroner. The car o|r^ 

ator was not held. 

34 BOXOFFICE 

: 

21

' 

[][ Gains Reported 

A Europe Meeting 

I•{"ELONA--Univelûl-InLL•lnational has 

•ne of the top major companies in 

„., ..cid. 

i^try, Alfred E. Daff, executive vicep:r 

Itiit. told the U-I European sales confer' 

ce which opened here Monday (16) and 

las I all week. He is also president of Uniliiternational 

Films, overseas subsid- 

the company has shown a 60 per 

iid 

:t'a.se in sales since 1950, and that 

IS now about 20 per cent higher for 

lialf of the current fiscal year than 

iiiring the same period last year. He 

d another record year. 

4 his listeners were Milton R. Rackr 

president: Americo Aboaf, foreign 

inager and vice-president of the inii.il 

unit, and Fortunat Baronat, foriilicity 

director. 

4,i,5 Daff Drive, which lasted 17 weeks, 

viird of almost $2,000,000 for the for- 

Iff announced the drive winners, Mexico, 

Tti?iged by Alfredo Holguin, won in the 

:i;ion between the individual terriiih 

Chili, under Raul Viancos, sec- 

::d Denmark, with Knud Jorgensen, 

: : t in the divisional competition was 

Lai America under supervisor Al Lowe, 

an' he was here to receive the Daff cup. 

iiales drive on J. Arthur Rank films distri'ted 

by U-I in Latin America and the 

Phppines was won by Mexico, with Chile 

-I ;fi and Brazil, managed by Rudi Gottsliird. 

-.. won the 16mm sales competition, 

vozuela was second and Brazil third. 

•'hers attending the conference included: 

' hur Doyle, far eastern supervisor; Arthur Lubin, 

prqcer; John Spires, Marion Jordan and Dick Brett 

ot i; continental sales force; John Marshall, Middle 

Eur.e and Scondinovian supervisor; Enrique Aguilar, 

wh.'*as convention host; Manuel Bofill, Luis Benet 

onc'vêrcedes Fabregas of Spain; Bernard Goldman, 

dis':t manager for France, North Africa and Switzerlij; 

Etienne Descombey, Rene Delcourt and 

Ch.';s Dubois the French force; Joseph Denis 

of 

on(.oui5 Piret of Belgium; K. E. Jorgensen and Nils 

OlIjDrd of Denmark; Andre Salib of Egypt; llmo Makelcrf 

Finland; Lutz Scherer, Fritz Genegel ond Wolfgai 

Morz of Germany. 

. . . The 

. . . Francis 

. . lATSE 

. . The 

. . . Sam 

. . Louis 

. . Joe 

. . Booker 

. . Columbia 

. . 20th-Fox 

. . Harry 

. . Paul 

. . Stratford 

V 

PITTSBURGH 

WASHINGTON 

paymond Todd has resigned from Ulmal 

Theatres in Salisbm-y, Md., to go intil 

business for himself. NeweU Howard wi< 

take over at Ulman . Wall, who 

now representing the Johnson-Saunders Thf 

atres, is established in his new office at lU 

18th St. N.W., Room 412, A.ssociation Bldg. 

Sympathy to Mi-s. Joseph Cohan, wife of tli) 

. . . Mi-s. David Roseri 

Republic aide, in the death of her motha 

Mrs. Mary Carlin 

thai, wife of the UA manager in Clevelan 

visited her sister Mrs. Ira Sichelman. 

.lames Epps, manager at District's Broac 

way, surprised two men breaking into tl 

theatre last week and fired two shots at the 

as they ran . salesman Han 

Valentine's wife underwent an operation . , 

Charlotte booker Jim Couey came in to vis"; 

his brother Carl in Casualty Hospital. Cai 

was knifed by a prowler who broke into h: 

. . . 

home . Marion Bowen was vac;' 

tioning in Miami . Mersay, head 

the print department, was a 20th-Fox visitti- 

Catherine Murphy of MGM was re-electj 

corresponding secretai-y of the Immaculajl 

Conception Academy PTA. She will chaptj 

one the coming Junior-Senior prom . . . Hap 

returns to Paramount Manager Phil Isaaf: 

who celebrated a birthday Friday 

cationists include Jeanne Sibley, 

VJ 

Luci 

Jerye Krj 

Babinger and Helen Schultz . . . 

tofferson is the new student booker. 

The Pitts York Theatre in West Point, Vi 

will close June 1 . . . H. H. Greenblatt i\ 

sent out to all exhibitors in the U. S. 

Canada a letter calling attention to the tvv 

reel short, "Devil Take Us," which receipt: 

documentary nominations from the Acade* 

of Motion Pictm-e Arts and Sciences, ti: 

annual safety award of the National Commf 

tee on Films for Safety, and the Liberty ilt 

tual trophy for the best theatncal moti|l 

pictm-e on traffic safety. 

| 

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Levy thank frier^ 

who gave blood for their son Willai-d, 15, \SJ 

luidei-went a kidney transplanting operati 

in Georgetown Hospital. The blood doai 

are Al Wheeler, Hugo Formato. Jerry San, 

Ray Forman, Lari-y Friess, John Obert, N:S 

Shore, Joe Bernai'd, George Sullivan, Myil 

Mills, Joe Kushner, Thelma Powell, Bef 

Richardson, Cecelia Babinger, MoUy Manite' 

and Ross Wheeler . PictuS 

representative John Dervin was at Allied A- 

ists ... A new AA employe is Betty Heltzmi. 

The new cashier at UA is 

Pauline Getil'i 

UA booker . . . Fi-ed Fi-anke, auditor, lis 

at UA . cashier Alice SauT 

was in a hospital . . . Charlie Hurley has .- 

signed as salesman at RKO to join Inpendent 

Theatres Service. He was v/i*"h R? 

13 years. The staff presented him a Ph.o 

clock radio . . . Assistant cashier Eve) 

Berry's 3-year-old daughter Linda was 

Sibley Hospital with a broken leg . . 

Rol 

. 

Miller is Al FoUiard's new secretary. 

. . . Reid Pi-ice, formerly with RKO, is the rj? 

a 

36 BOXOFFICE May 21 65s

I 

' 

her 

: IS 

j irest 

1 

rawstock) 

HOLLYWOOD 

dws AND VIEWS THE PRODUCTION 

(Holhiwood Olfice— Suite 219 at 6404 Hollywood Blvd.: Ivan Spear. Western Manager' 

Frresl Tucker to Do 

If Series in Bermuda 

Pj'LLYWOOD—So that he can trek to 

3cr uda for a year to star in a series of 39 

titled "Crunch Adams and Desperate 

based on a group of stories by Philip 

Tucker was granted a release 

,. commitment to co-star with Clau- 

'.bert and Barry Sullivan in "Texas 

hcatrical feature being produced for 

kase by Nat Holt. Tucker has been 

a in "Lady" by Gregory Walcott. 

At Paramount Studio 

Conference 

^leo casting notes: Joan Blondell will 

debut on the General Electric 

tre in "Star in the House" over CBS-TV 

oniane 5 in a filmed show directed by Rod 

An'teau . . . Don Fedderson inked Edward 

Ar Id to star in a new audience-participatlc 

teleseries, "Do You Trust Your Wife?" 

writ! Jim Morgan will produce . . . Gross- 

Kj'tne booked Mona Fi'eeman, Marjorie 

Eia)beau. Jane Nigh and Hans Conreid in 

suJDrt of Thomas Mitchell in "Man About 

Toll," second half-hour entry in its new 

"O'ênry Television Playhouse" series . . . 

Sc'-n Gems, Columbia's video subsidiary, 

sig d Dorothy Lamour for a starring spot 

Harry the Hustler" on the "Damon 

In 

Riion Theatre" series. 

'he Late George Apley," the book by John 

P. larquand which 20th Centm-y-Fox filmed 

as [theatrical release in 1946, has been added 

toie schedule of TCP Television, 20th-Fox's 

vicji subsidiary, as the basis for a telefilm 

sets. Edward Hope has been signed to script 

anj Jules Bricken will produce. 

t In DeFore will serve another one-year 

Itel as president of the Academy of Teleilsn 

Arts and Sciences, while the organizatlo|3 

board has chosen Johnny Mercer and 

RoTt Longnecker as vice-presidents, Hal 

Hiion as secretary and Hal Roach jr. as 

Jtre.urer. 

I 

Picks Ronald Reagan 

T Produce TV Story 

)LLYWOOD—Ronald Reagan has been 

seio produce the General Electric Theatre's 

"S>is of Hate," a Saturday Evening Post 

stc by Marvin DeVries. It will be his produ 

,on debut on the show on which he acts 

as 'est and program supervisor. 

* * • 

yeph Stanley has been named producerdir'tor 

of video's "The Pattie Page Show" 

'! h will be produced by Screen Gems in 

N€ York for Oldsmobile. 

Paramount home office and field executives convened at the company's Hollyfvood 

studio last week for a weelt-long: sales and merchandising planning session on 

upcoming product. 

In left photo seated: Don Hartman, executive producer, and Y. Frank Freeman, 

fice-president and studio head. Standing, Robert J. Rubin, administrative executive. 

At right, visiting Cecil B. DeMille (seated) on the set of ''The Ten Commandments," 

from left: Hugh Owen, vice-president in charge of western U. S. distribution; A. M. 

Kane, south central division manager; Sid Deneau, O'Shea's assistant; Gordon 

Bradley, southern division manager; Robert J. Rubin, administrative executive, and 

Don Hartman, Paramount executive producer. Flanking DeMille are Charlton Heston 

(with staff), who portrays Moses, and Yul Brynner, garbed as the pharoah Rameses. 

First Goldwyn Award 

On Wednesday (25) 

HOLLYWOOD—The first 

Samuel Goldwyn 

award for creative writing, recently established 

at UCLA by the producer to stimulate 

literary talent at the college level, will be 

presented Wednesday (25), it was announced 

by Dr. Raymond B. Allen, the university's 

chancellor. The board of judges selected to 

choose the winner includes Robert Sherwood, 

Kenneth Macgowan, Charles Brackett 

and F. Hugh Herbert. 

Parleys Due June 6 

HOLLYWOOD—Negotiations between producers 

and the Screen Actors Guild for a 

new collective bargaining agreement covering 

actors, singers and announcers in telefilms 

will get under way June 6. Participating with 

the SAG will be the Ass'n of Motion Picture 

Producers and the Alliance of Television Film 

Producers. The T'V supplement to the SAG's 

basic agreement of 1952 is due to expire 

July 20. 

Bob Hope and Wife Head 

Boys' Town Building Fund 

HOLLYWOOD—Comedian Bob Hope and 

his wife Dolores have accepted the chairmanship 

of the Boys Club of Hollywood building 

campaign to raise $200,000 to be used for a 

gymnasium and swimming pool. These added 

facilities will complete the program for 

"building citizens of tomorrow." 

Sportsman's Field in Canoga Park, donated 

by Harry M. Wai'ner to the youth of San 

Fernando Valley, was dedicated on Saturday 

(14) with a flag-raising ceremony and baseball 

game. Located at Shoup avenue and 

Sherman Way, the field has a bleachers accommodating 

200 persons. Hube Stebbins, 

Woodland Hills businessman, read the dedication 

salute to Warner. 

Export of Rawstock Film Increases 

Exports of unexposed motion picture film 

in 1954 amounted to 452,857,393 

linear feet valued at $12,166,553, an increase 

of 140,000.000 feet over 1953. 

fC3FFICE :: May 21, 1955 37

STUDIO PERSONNEUTIES 

Barnstormers 

Allied Artists 

YVONNE DE CARLO checked in from a two-week 

trip which took her to Texas, Oklahoma and Atlanta, 

Ga., for appearances in connection with openings of 

"Shotgun," o Technicolor film produced by John C. 

Champion with Sterling Hayden and Zachary Scott 

as her co-stars. 

Independent 

CLAUDETTE COLBERT set to star in "A Mighty 

Man Is He," on original comedy by Arthur Kober 

and George Oppenheimer, scheduled for a pre-Broadway 

break-in at the Falmouth, Moss. Theatre in 

mid-August. 

Paramount 

BOB HOPE will appear on Ed Murrow's Person to 

Person television show on June 10. Hope is also 

set to do shows with Ed Sullivan and Arthur Godfrey 

on behalf of "The Seven Little Foys." 

Blurbers 

Independent 

Walt Disney retained the WILLIAM HERBERT- 

GLENN ROSE praisery in on associate capocity to 

assist in the drumbeating effort on behalf of Disneyland, 

the 160-acre amusement center which is 

scheduled to open in July. 

Universal-International 

MARTHA SMITH, formerly secretary to the late 

Sam Israel, has been promoted to publicist status 

by Jack Diamond, Israel's successor as U-I studio 

publicity director. 

Briefies 

Paramount 

JAMES A. FITZPATRICK has completed "VistaVision 

Visits Japan," third of his series of Technicolor travel 

spectacles for Paramount release. His first, "Vista- 

Vision Visits Norway," was distributed along wilh 

"White Christmas" and the second subject, "Vista- 

Vision Visits Mexico" now is showing with "Strategic 

Air Command" in its first two engagements. 

Warner Bros. 

Filming has begun on three additional "Joe Mc- 

Dookes" shorts starring George O'Hanlon, titled 

"So You Wont 'to Be a V. P.," "So You Think the 

Grass is Greener," and "So You Wont to be o 

Policeman." Jane Frazee appears in the feminine 

lead, Dick Bore is directing and Cedric Francis producing. 

Cleffers 


EDWARD J. KAY has been set as music director 

on "Night Freight." 

Paramount 

BERNARD HERRMANN has been signed to compose 

and conduct the background score for "The 

Man Who Knew Too Much." 

RKO Radio 

LOU FORBES was signed to do the music score 

for "Tennessee's Partner," forthcoming Benedict 

Bogeaus production. 

to 

United Artists 

Warner Bros. 

DIMITRI TIOMKIN has been signed to write the 

music score for "Giant," George Stevens' production 

of Edna Ferber's novel. 

Meggers 


Producer BEN SCHWALB will put the next Bowery 

Boys comedy, tentatively entitled "Operation Uroni- 

um," before the cameras on June 8. The screenplay 

was written by Elwood Ullmon and Bert Lawrence. 


Producers Robert L. Jocks and Robert Goldstein 

hove signed Gerd Oswald to direct "A Kiss Before 

Dying," Crown Productions feature, starring Robert 

Wagner. It will be Oswald's first directional chore. 

Options 


Added to the supporting cost of ''Gun Point" were 

WHIT BISSELL, FRANK FERGUSON, IRVING BACON, 

RICK VALLIN, JAMES GRIFFITH, JACK LAMBERT 

and JOHN PICKARD. 

Columbia 

VALERIE FRENCH, young British-born actress who 

has been active on the London stage and screen 

and in television, has been signed to a long-term 

contract. 

DENNIS O'KEEFE has been set by Producer Sam 

Kotzmon to star in "Inside Detroit," an original 

racketeer yarn by James B. Gordon, slated to go 

before the location cameras in the title city June 7 

with Fred F. Sears directing. 

Independent 

Producer-director-star Mork Stevens inked KING 

CALDER New York stage and TV actor, for a top 

role in "Timetable." 

Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer 

DAVID WAYNE has been signed to star with 

Debbie Reynolds and Frank Sinatra in "The Tender 

Trap," romantic comedy which Charles Walters will 

direct for Producer Lawrence Weingarten. 

Paramount 

.ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY, daughter of Robert 

Montgomery, has been signed to moke her film 

debut in the second feminine lead of "The Kiss-Off," 

which will topline Carol Ohmart ond Tom Tryon. 

Michael Curtiz will produce and direct. 

RKO Radio 

Handed character ports m the Nat Holt production, 

"Texas Lady," were JOHN LITEL, RAY COLLINS ond 

CELIA LOVESKY. Starring Cloudette Colbert and 

Barry Sullivan, the Technicolor-Superscope feature 

IS being directed by Tim Whelon. 

COLEEN GRAY was handed a featured role in the 

Bendict Bogeaus production, "Tennessee's Partner," 

which stars John Payne, Rhonda Fleming and Ronald 

Reagan. Allan Dwan directs in Superscope and 

Technicolor. 

Republic 

JAY SILVERHEELS, GLORIA CASTILLO, JULIAN 

RIVERO, FRED GRAHAM and GLENN STRANGE were 

signed for roles tn 'The Vanishing American," 

starring Scott Brady, Audrey Totter and Forrest 

Tucker with Gene Lockhart. It is being filmed on 

location at St, George, Utah, under the direction of 

associate producer Joe Kane. 

WALTER BRENNAN pacted for featured role in 

"Come Next Spring," starring Steve Cochran and 

Ann Sheridan with R. G. Springsteen directing. 


Bert E. Fnedlob signed SALLY FORREST and 

VINCENT PRICE to star with Dana Andrews, Ida 

Lupino, Rhonda Fleming and George Sanders in 

his production of "News Made ot Night," which 

Is 

Fritz Long directs. 

Universal-International 

GENE KRUPA was signed to play himself in "The 

Benny Goodman Story," in which Steve Allen will 

star in the title role. 

KATHLEEN CASE was assigned the feminine starring 

role in "The Girl in the Cage," adopted from 

Ben Benson's novel. Howard Pine will produce the 

film, which will be his lost before leaving to join 

William Thomas in Pine-Thomas Productions. Shooting 

is scheduled to start late this month with Abner 

Biberman directing. 

JOHN MCINTIRE was signed to star with Audie 

Murphy and Barbara Rush in "World in My Corner." 

Aaron Rosenberg produces and Jess Hibbs directs 

the boxing drama. 

Scripters 

Paramount 

SIDNEY SHELDON was signed to 

lusive long-term contract. 

new 

nonii; 

Warner Bros. 

PETER VIERTEL has been signed by ProduiW 

Leiand Hoyward to work with Ernest Hemingway H|l 

— -creenploy of the latte. _ _ 

Man and the Sea," which Hoyward will "make" 

Spencer Tracy starrer. 

Story Buys 

Warner Bros. „ 

"Toward the Unknown," a story by Beirne Lay:»*B^ 

about U. S. air force experimental plones of » 

future, has been purchased and will be produl 

and directed by LeRoy. Mervyn will de 

The drama 

the exploits of pilots who test secret X-model ploj 

Technically 


Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 

HAROLD LIP5TEIN will photograph the Desilu 

I 

duction, "Forever, Darling." 

Warner Bros. 

MEL DELLAR has been set as assistant dire 

Title 

"The Gun 

Changes 

Republic 

to THE HOSTAGE. 

20th Century-Fox 

" 

"The Rams Come to THE RAINS OF RANGHII 

"Raleigh and the Virgin Queen" to THE VIR 

QUEEN. 

Warner Bros. 

A HANDFUL OF CLOUDS is the new title 

"Jagged Edge." 

Women Again Vote 'Rob 

'Favorite Movie of Year' 

HOLLYWOOD—For the second consecu'e 

year, "The Robe," initial CinemaS(ie 

feature, produced and distributed by ;jj 

Century Fox, was selected as "the favcj 

movie of the year" in the annual poll 

ducted among American women by 

Woman's Home Companion. June All3| 

and Clark Gable were voted the top 

stars. 

In the television field top honors wenS 

Lucille Ball—for the thu'd successive yei| 

and to newcomer George Gobel. "I II| 

Lucy" was named favorite TV show fori 

third year in a row. 

Paul Smith, president of Crowell-Cofi 

and editor-in-chief of the Companion, 

sented the awards at a luncheon Tue.^ 

(17) at the Beverly Hills Hotel. 

Miss Allyson has been among the top sW 

in the past ten Companion polls. She rrf 

the same designation in the All AmerJi 

Favorites balloting conducted by B(£- 

OFFICE, the results of which were publl-'d 

in this periodical's annual BAROMITR. 

edition. 

Bing Crosby, who often has been firslal 

Companion polls, now rates as sertfl 

favorite male star. John Wayne, who as 

the top male star last year, came in tld- 

J 

PLAY IT SAFE! 

Support— 

THE ARTHRITIS 

AND RHEUMATISM 

FOUNDATION 

Warner Bros. 

PAUL PICERNI, formerly under contract to the 

studio, returns for on important role as a young 

priest in "Miracle the Rom." 

in 

JAYNE MANSFIELD has been assigned the role of 

o voluptuous night club girl in "The Darkest Hour," 

starring Alan Lodd, Edward G. Robinson and Joanne 

Dru. Frank Tuttle is directing the Joguar Cinema- 

Scope production. 

CARROLL BAKER, blonde Broadway octress, has 

been signed to make her screen debut in George 

Stevens' production of "Giant." She joins a cost 

headed by Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James 

Another for Martin-Lewis 

HOLLYAVOOD—Scheduled to begin leiiig 

in October, "Where Men Are Men" has en 

set by Paramount as a Dean Martin-JH' 

Lewis starrer. The burlesque western. in 

original by Jerry Davis, was scripted by *• 

ney Sheldon. It will be produced by 'Ul 

Jones and megged by Norman Taurog. 

38 BOXOFFICE May 21,

I 

1 

1 , currently 

- m 

: atra, 

; appearances 

i booking 

yranger' Debut to Aid 

I: Sinai Hospital 

WOOD—With all proceeds to go to 

Sinai Hospital, which will be formit 

ed at that time, Stanley Kramer's 

Stranger" will be given a charity 

iiine 29 at the Stanley Warner The- 

, 

verly Hills. A United Artists reiuced 

and directed by Kramer from 

by Morton Thompson, "Stranger" 

t, 

It Mitchum, Olivia de Havilland, 

Gloria Grahame, Broderick 

and Charles Bickford. 

off July 13 at the Majestic in San 

rolumbia's release of the William 

auction, "The Man From Laramie," 

•ifn premieres in four Texas cities 

four-day period. After its San 

1. iw, "Laramie" is scheduled to be- 

.n Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth. 

are Goetz and cast 

James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy 

lid Crisp. 

Ti)c attended by Joel McCrea and co-star 

er; Miles the premiere of Allied Artists' 

-vi it;i" will be held July 13 at the Miller 

in Wichita. It will kick off a 

in the Midwest territory. 

AA set "Seven Angry Men," starnond 

Massey, for June 1 openings at 

1 iêt and Pantages and four drive-ins 

IdGrainger Gets Fine 

/Ciperation in Mexico 

C'iJRNAVACA, MEXICO—New widescreen 

roc'ses and the greatly increased use of 

jloimake it "more than ever imperative" 

ia/,vhenever a story is laid in a colorful 

'!-.p picture based thereon should be 

1 re. Such is the opinion of Edmund 

lensing "The Treasure of 

alio Villa" on location hereabouts for 

iK« release. 

Miy problems which used to accompany 

aking of pictures in Mexico no longer 

tie 

tis! Grainger declared, pointing out that 

is 'nit "couldn't have had more undertar 

ng and cooperation" if his project were 

lac in or near Hollywood. He also paid 

rib, 5 to the competence and enthusiasm of 

lesian crews and the helpfulness of 

ovument authorities. 

H* plans another film to be lensed near 

>urigo later this year, also for RKO. 

X4ont Signs With SAG 

H'JjYWOOD—A collective bargaining 

rrrnent covering actors, singers and an- 

filmed television progi'ams to be 

the DuMont TV network has been 

,. ..:td by the Screen Actors Guild. The 

lacttovers all forms of motion pictures, inluag 

theatrical features as well as tele- 

Um and commercials. 

»Qi Fuller to Do 'Tigrero!' 

H .L\nA'OOD— Samuel Fuller has been as- 

" write and direct "Tigrero!" at 20thed 

on a story of adventure in the 

jungles by Sasha Siemel. it will be 

:i 

'" fci by Samuel G. Engel. 

TO 

SUE or not to sue? 

That is the question that for more 

than two years has been plaguing Hollywood, 

ever since Confidential magazine 

started tunneling its slimy, underground path 

to impressive circulation and profit figures 

through the age-old expedient of exposing the 

alleged mores and manners of many of 

Cinemania's luminaries. 

The over-all reaction of indignation and 

repugnance generated by the muckraking 

periodical's scim-ilous symposia has been 

sharply divided into two opposing schools of 

thought. There are those—and obviously they 

are in the vast majority—who believe that 

the publication and its mud-tossing should 

be ignored. Tliese pundits propound the 

opinion that such obviously untrue and/or 

grote.squely distorted material should not be 

dignified and .subjected to further circulation 

and discussion through any pimitive action. 

Disciples of this far-from-illogical theory are 

to be found among studio brass, public relations 

counselors, railbirds, talent agents and 

the a-ssailed personalities themselves; and 

their judgment was attained after extensive 

consideration of the thorn-in-side situation. 

On the other hand, there are the young 

Turks—and. again, they include members of 

ea

New Majors Contract 

Won By WGA, West 

HOLLYWOOD—A new collective 

bargaining 

contract with the major studios which 

calls for substantial increases in the minimum 

scales was ratified Wednesday (18) at 

the annual meeting of the Writers Guild of 

America. West. 

At the session new officers were elected 

and a controversial anti-communist resolution 

was introduced. Word on whether that 

measure, which would bar from membership 

any person who. before a duly constituted 

congressional committee admits affiliation 

with the Communist party, had been adopted 

was withheld pending results of a similar 

meeting Thursday (19) of WGA, East, in New 

York. 

The new major studio pact, which is retroactive 

to Jan. 6, 1955, will be effective for 

three years. 

Edmund Hartmann was elected president. 

Selected as president of the screenwriters 

branch was Daniel Tarradash, while David 

Dortort gained the presidency of the TV 

division. The radio writers chose David 

Friedkin as their president. 

Daniel Taradash has functioned as chairman 

of the committee negotiating the theatrical 

film agreement, while Morgan Cox 

and Donn Mullally head the group covering 

the TV field. 

4 insertions for the price of 3 — SAVE!

' 

liur.so's 

! San 

: lie 

. . . Schumour 

. . Lewis 

! 

! 

Tc:oma Roxy Undergoing 

C 


has "Push-Back" installation facts and promotion boosters. See or call us . . . but do it soon 

*Push-Boek» 


[ESTERN THEATRICAL EQUIPMENT CO. 

337 Golden Gote Avenue 

Francisco 2, Colifornlo 

JOHN P. FILBERT CO., INC. 

2007 S. Vermont Avenue 

Los Angeles 7, Californio 

WESTERN SERVICE & SUPPLY, INC. 

2120 Broadway 

Denver 2, Colorado 

MODERN THEATRE SUPPLY, INC. 

1935 N.W. Kearney Street 

Portland 9, Oregon 

WESTERN SOUND & EQUIPMENT CO. 

264 E. First South Street 

Salt Lake City 1, Utah 

MODERN THEATRE SUPPLY, INC. 

2400 Third Avenue 

Seattle 1, Washington 

BO DFFICE May 21, 1955 41

— 

— 

— —— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

U 

— 

'Jungle 

and 'Glass Slipper' Dominate 

Los Angeles First Run Boxoffices 

LOS ANGELES—Two MGM newcomers, 

"The Blackboard Jungle" and "The Glass 

Slipper." dominated the local first run scene, 

the former with a smashing 300 per cent, the 

latter not far behind at 275. Their closest 

competitor was "Daddy Long Legs," finishing 

its second stanza with a fine 190. 


Chinese Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox), 2nd wk. ..190 

Downtown Paramount, Egyptian Jump Into Hell 

(WB); The Green Scorf (Ass'd Artists), 2nd wk.. 60 

Rey Quest for a Lost City (RKO), 2nd wk 50 

El 

Fine Arts The Gloss Slipper (MGM) 275 

Four Star Doctor in the House (Rep), 8th wk. . . 75 

Fox Wi'shire The Prodigal (MGM), 2nd wk 90 

Globe, Uptown. Vogue The Woyword Wife (IFE), 

Outlow Girl (IFE) 80 

Hawaii, Orpheum—Mambo (Para) 100 

Hollywood Paramount The Return of October 

(Col); The Petty Girl (Col), reissues 80 

Pontages, State, Loyola The Blackboard Jungle 

(MG.M); Utopia (SR) 300 

Warners Beverly Strategic Air Command (Para) 

3rd wk 150 

Warners Downtown, Wiltern, Fox Hollywood 

Croshout (Filmakers); You Know Whot Soilors 

Are (UA) 90 

Warners Hollywood This Is Cinerama (Cinerama), 

I07fh wk 100 

Fair Weather Dips 

Frisco Grosses 

SAN FRANCISCO—The week's grosses for 

first run houses were average or slightly 

below. Fair weather had its effect. 

Fox— Violent Saturday (20th-Fox), The Other 

Woman (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 90 

Golden Gote Rage at Dawn (RKO); Murder Is 

My Beat (AA) 90 

Paramount Gongbusters (Visual); Five Guns 

West (ARC) 100 

St Froncis The Eternal Sea (Rep); Hell's 

OutPost (Rep) 90 

United Artists Kiss Me Deadly (UA); Canyon 

Crossroads (Col) 100 

Heldover 'Jungle' Still Strong 

In Portland With 200 

PORTLAND—"The Blackboard Jungle" in 

its third week at Liberty Theatre continued 

to pack 'em in and grossed 200 per cent of 

average business. "One Summer of Happiness," 

which was also in its third week, 

mOTIOn PICTURE SERVICE [«. 

115 HYDE ST. San FrancTscodlCaltF. 

followed close with a strong 190. "Daddy 

Long Legs" and "The Pm'ple Plain" both 

opened to good business and drew 50 per cent 

more than average. "The Pi'odigal" racked 

up its second above-average week and did 

120 per cent at the Broadway. Only one 

feature fell below average. 

Broodway The Prodigal (MGM), 2nd wk 120 

Fox—Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox) 150 

Liberty The Blackboard Jungle (MGM), 3rd wk. . .200 

Orpheum Violent Soturday (20th-Fox) 85 

Paramount The Purple Plain ( A) I 50 

Parkrose One Summer of Happiness (Hakim) 190 

'Prodigal' Hits 150 in Denver 

Despite Winds and Dust 

DENVER—Strong winds and duststorms 

kept a lot of people close to home. Consequently, 

theatres suffered. Holdovers included 

"The Prodigal" at the Paramount; "Daddy 

Long Legs" at the Denver, and "Game of 

Love" at the Esquire. 

Centennial Monaco, Wadsworth Drive-Ins 

Croshout (Filmakers); Air Strike (LP) 100 

Centre Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox) 100 

Denham Hell's Island (Para) 80 

Denver Tight Spot (Col); Pirates of Tripoli 

(Col) 50 

Esquire Gome of Love (Times) 120 

Lakeshore, Valley Drive-lns Timberjock (Rep); 

African Manhunt (Rep) 1 20 

Orpheum The Blackboard Jungle (MGM), 3rd 

wk 85 

Paramount The Prodigal (MGM) 150 

Tabor Garden of Eden (SR); Thunder Over 

Sangoland (LP), 2nd wk 100 

Toys' Opening Proceeds 

To Australian Charity 

HOLLYWOOD—The sum of $185,000 from 

the world premiere of Bob Hope's new Paramount 

VistaVision production "The Seven 

Little Poys" at the Pi-ince Edward Theatre 

in Sydney, Australia, on June 1, will be donated 

to the Commonwealth's Cerebral Palsy 

Fund, Hope has announced. The theatre has 

only 1.300 seats. Seats for the gala event, the 

first full-fledged world premiere of a Hollywood 

film with its top star present to be 

held Down Under, will be sold for $280 a 

pair, a record price for Sydney. 

Plans Summer Program 

GRANDVIEW, 'WASH.—Mrs. Marie 'Warner 

of the Colonial Theatre has made arrangements 

with the local PTA for a summer 

matinee program for children from four 

years of age through the seventh grade. The 

pictures chosen were selected from a list 

prepared by Parents' Magazine. 

East: Paramount producers William Perl-I 

berg and George Seaton to Washington fo;ji 

story huddles on their next for the MarathoiiJ 

street studio, "The Magnificent Devils." 

East: Director George Sidney off 

Gotham to set up a location shooting schedul" 

for Columbia's CinemaScope-Technicolo 

music drama, "Music by Duchin," which wL' 

star Tyrone Power in title role as the pianis 

of the late 20s and 30s. Executive produce 

Jerry Wald has set a July 18 starting dat 

for camera work, which will start in Centrj 

Park. 

East: Steven Bosustow to New York fc 

Columbia home office conferences. 

West : Steve Broidy, Allied Artists presiden 

back from New York following a week c 

conferences with head office sales executive 

LA Legion Post Salutes 

Late Charles Skouras 

LOS ANGELES—A resolution in memoi' 

of the late Charles P. Skouras, Nation; 

Theatres and Fox West Coast president ar 

an honorary colonel in the post for mar 

years, was presented to his son Charles j: 

at the annual Americanism dimier meetii 

of Allied Post 302, American Legion, on Fi, 

day (20). Some 250 ROTC cadets from ! 

Los Angeles area high schools were honon 

guests at the event, held at the Ambassa* 

Hotel. 

In attendance also were William V. O'Coi 

nor, chief assistant U. S. attorney-gener. 

and chairman of the post's Americanis 

committee; municipal judge Rodger Pfa, 

and Edwin F. Zabel, FWC general managii 

as well as civic leaders. 

Charles F. Wright Dies 

SEATTLE—Charles F. Wright, local bu:, 

nessman and onetime theatre manager, di 

recently at the age of 68 following an Hint 

of seven months. Wright as a young m 

managed the Orpheum Theatre in Portia 

and later opened the first Pantages he 

before turning his efforts to other ente 

prises. Surviving are his wife, three daughti; 

and a son. 

I 

f 

400 SEAT THEATRE 

Only theatre in small town. Rich irrigated farm 

district. Modern masonry btdg. (1946), two bedroom 

apt. CrnemaScoped. Priced at a fraction of original 

cost, only $25,000, incl. bldg. $10,000 down. Others. 

Write for list. 

THEATRE 

EXCHANGE CO. 

5724 S. E. Monroe St., Portland 22, Oregon 

260 Kearny St., Son Francisco 8, Californio 

Col.-Guy Madison Deal 

HOLLYWOOD—Coliunbia will release six 

pictures to be made independently by Guy 

Madison in association with his agent, Helen 

Ainsworth. Madison will star in four of them. 

The initialer will be "Seven Watchmen," a 

Civil War action drama by Mary C. McCall jr. 

New Post lor Norton Locke 

HOLLYWOOD—Norton Locke has join: 

Camera Vision Pi-oductions in an executi 

capacity, it has been announced by Camf'. 

Vision Heads Philip Rivero and Arthur 

. 

Lyons. Locke, a Peabody award winner :' 

the TV series, "Let There Be Life," has hil 

a number of top radio and television poi. 

42 BOXOFFICE :: May 21 l5 jjpj, 

i

• 

. Hamm, 

, til 

) , i!;d 

; 

1 

;,ired 

. jiioker 

I Theatre 

. r 

s . . . 

Congratulations 

1 foot, 

. The 

. . Top 

IAN FRANCISCO 

president ut the Northern Cali- 

* forinia Theatres Ais'n, was present at the 

e;ing proclamation of a naming the sec- 

,n week of May as Motion Picture Week 

IV Mayor Elmer Robinson. In ceremonies 

,t he city hall office, the mayor praised 

hnii'ion picture industry for its contribupublic 

education and entertainment. 

also was Dixie Quinn, chosen by the 

,|)ter of the association as Miss Movie 

San Francisco ... A gunman, using 

lb for transportation, held up the 

in Oakland. The gunman 

cable to wait, sauntered over to the 

; I) M)th, pulled a gun, ordered the cashei 

o liand over the money, grabbed up $180 

back to the cab. Forcing the cable 

attempted to start the cab but behad 

killed the motor, he was forced 

. . Among 

. . Harold 

. . Honeymooners 

. . Huddling 

. . 

. . 

w 

LOS ANGELES 

n lifetime pass and his first retirement 

check were presented to George Bowser, 

former Fox West Coast general manager, at 

a farewell reception in 

the penthouse of the 

company's homeoffice 

here. The event was 

attended by 40 fellow 

executives, including 

Elmer C. Rhoden, 

president of FWC's 

pai-ent National Theatres; 

Alan May, vicepresident 

and treasurer; 

John B. Bertero, 

FWC president; Edwin 

F. Zabel, FWC general George Bowser 

manager, and Frank 

H. Ricketson, president of Fox Intermountain. 

Bowser, who started in show business 40 

years ago with the Skouras Brothers in St. 

Louis, wUl leave next month on a European 

vacation . . . The Filmrow club will hold its 

first dance of the season June 11 at the 

Rodger Young auditorium, with Ivan Scott's 

orchestra supplying the music. 

Francis A. Bateman, Republic's western division 

sales manager, took off for Denver, 

Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City to set 

up first run bookings . . . Sam Nathanson, 

who heads Gibraltar Distributors, left on a 

coast-to-coast tour to book an hour-long 

screen lecture based on a self-help tome by 

Harold Sherman and Claude Bristol. 

. . Sherrill 

Ed Harris has sold to his partner Paul 

Mart his interests in the Arrow and Fontana 

theatres in Fontana, which they acquired a 

few months ago. He has moved to Glendale 

to manage the Capitol for the United Artists 

circuit . . . Harold Wirthwein, Allied Artists 

western division sales chief, took off for 

Denver . . After a three-day visit, James 

. 

Velde, western division manager for United 

Artists, took off for New York . 

C. Corwin, head of Metropolitan Tl'ieatres, 

left for Gotham on a business trip. 

. . . Guests of 

A June 22 opening has been scheduled by 

B. J. Leavitt and W. P. Wickersham for 

then- 1,000-car Nevada Drive-In on Highway 

99 in Las Vegas. They also operate the Silver 

Dollar Drive-In in Phoenix 

Eddie Ashkins, Yuma drive-in operator, are 

Jack and Julius Lowenthal, St. Louis exhibitors. 

Eddie took them fishing at La Paz, 

Mexico . Filmrow visitors were 

Johnny Hatcher, El Rancho Theatre, Moorpark; 

Joe Markowitz, up from Encinitas; Ben 

Bronstein, Sun- An- Drive-In, Palm Springs; 

Fred Dee of the Carlton; Andy Devine, Paradise 

Theatre, Westchester . with 

branch manager Fred Greenberg at the 

Warner exchange was Haskell Masters, 

Canadian division chief. 

En masse, members of the FUmrow Club 

on Tuesday (17 1 made a periodical donation 

to the Red Cross blood bank. Iris Roth of 

MGM was in charge . are 

Jack Lowenbein, owner of the Rio Theatre 

in San Diego, and the former Francene Anne 

Bailys, who were married Thursday U9) in 

Las Vegas . 

Wirthwein, AA western 

division chief, is a grandfather. His daughter, 

Mrs. Lois Riddell, gave birth to a sevenpound, 

four-ounce son, Jed Steven . 

George A. Hickey, MGM's Pacific Coast sales 

chief, headed for Salt Lake City for conferences. 

Aladdin Drive-Ins' new ozoner, the 

Sepulveda, is scheduled for its formal opening 

next week. Located in the San Fernando 

valley, the 1,500-car installation will be operated 

by Jack Y. and Izzy Berman and associates 

Buying supplies on the Row 

. . . were Red Ammons and Don Grey, who operate 

the Beaumont Theatre in Beaumont . 

Carol Marano has joined the Warner branch 

Hospitalized with a 

as a contract clerk . . . 

sprained back was Allan Bank, husband of 

Jeanette Bank, secretary to Morris Sudmin, 

20th-Fox branch manager. 

Taxes Threaten Theatre 

CHEHALIS, WASH.—Don Condon, manager 

of the Chehalis Theatre, has resigned 

his post and returned with his family to 

Seattle less than a year after his arrival here. 

His departure was credited to operating difficulties 

caused by the city's theatre tax, 

according to Owner Ron Gamble. The theatre 

is no longer operating full time but only 

three days a week. The owner and other 

business men are seeking tax relief for the 

city's only theatre. 

Washington House Improved 

BELLEVUE, WASH.—L. H. "Bumps" Sullivan, 

manager of the Sterling circuit's Bell- 

Vue Theatre, reports the house has been 

equipped for showing all of the new processes. 

HANDY

II 

IL 

I 

COLUMBIA, 

, true 

IhealieNewsreelsBig ^Jj /^./yy ^///gj Officers 

lespite TV Bugaboo 

IT. LOUIS—The motion picture theatre's 

nl/sreel continues to grow despite the tele- 

V on bugaboo. Oscar Morgan, Paramount 

>lit subjects, newsreel and special featm-es 

~ manager, declared last week. He based 

J. 

h views on information picked up in visits 

t(jiis company's exchanges in about 16 cities. 

lit isn't hard to understand why television 

rvscasts don't satisfy the American people," 

l^rgan said. "Most of the time the TV comnintator 

sits behind his desk and talks. He 

tin furnishes brief motion pictures and stills 

Wiill out the time. The over-all effect could 

ôbtained over radio. 

lOn the other hand, 80 per cent or more of 

- -'-eel material never is seen on television. 

> ivsi'eels have the cream of the news. 

as to sports: in college football, 

i instance, TV is restricted to one game a 

w'k, most often a dud with little appeal to 

sjrt fans. The newsreel can pick the sports 

f)d and give the theatre patrons real covera''. 

Television news shots are unedited, un- 

C and too brief for the public. 

'The value of the newsreel hasn't been 

i^jaired by television competition in the 

list. This is recognized by alert exhibitors 

lithe industry. Very few of the first run 

Irises of the country fail to use them." 

n his tours, Morgan has found that the 

eiibitors are selecting their shorts with great 

ce. "Exhibitors no longer just say: 'Send 

I a short,' " he continued. "Instead, they 

s cify exactly what short to send. Quality 

s nds out in their selection. Cartoons contfue 

to grow in popularity all over the coundorgan 

arrived in St. Louis Satui-day (7) 

Ser visiting Omaha, Des Moines and Kantj 

City. He also planned to visit Indianapolis 

El Cincinnati before returning to New York 

Cy May 16. 

ie visited Edward B. Arthur, general mani'.T, 

Fanchon & Maxco-St. Louis Amusent 

Co., and Johnny Meinardi, district manflT, 

Fox Midwest Tlieatres. here on Mon- 

Cf (9). Unfortunately, he discovered that 

?iumber of other exhibitors of this exchange 

i-SL had already left St. Louis to attend the 

iat meeting of the Missouri-Illinois Theatre 

C'ners and Kansas-Missoiu'i Theatre Ass'n 

{Arrowhead Lodge. Lake of the Ozarks, May 

i U and 12. 

)n this trip Morgan has talked to some 

f exhibitors seeking their reaction as to 

!';)rt subjects, newsreels and special features, 

irticularly those of his company. 

bcal Merchant Reopens 

at the St. Joseph 

Hospital after a ttoee-week illness. She was 

a member of the Star's staff from 1916 until 

joining the Denver Post in 1926. She was a 

former president of the National Federation 

of Press Women, served as president of the 

Denver Women's Press Club and first president 

of the Denver chapter of Theta Sigma 

Phi, national fraternity for women in journalism. 

In 1953 -she received the Headliner award 

from Theta Sigma Phi for outstanding contributions 

to journalism. 

New Reavis Product 

ST. LOUIS—Reavis Vending Supply Co. 

has added a line of Polar Bear fountain 

syrups, of its own manufacture. Thiu:ston L. 

Reavis, president, describes the product as 

superior quality with a much heavier base 

than most. Twelve flavors are offered. 

IXOFTICE :: May 21, 1955 45

. 

New Theatre Operator 

Puts It Up to Public 

NEW LONDON, MO.—Francis Giger addressed 

an open statement to his patrons in 

a recent issue of the New London Record. 

This is how he worded it: 

"I will open the theatre for Saturday 

night showings, starting April 30. Whether or 

not we open any other nights depends solely 

on your attendance. We will try to book only 

the best shows, with variety so as to suit 

everyone. We will have two showings each 

Saturday night and comedies and short subjects 

will also be shown. 

"It is through the efforts of the New London 

merchants that this is possible. Please show 

your appreciation to them." 

BOWLING 

KANSAS CITY—The Finton Jones team 

won first place in the Women's Filmrow 

Bowling League. Members of the winning 

team were Joe Kellerman, Vera Fouch, Elsie 

Rea, Mary Heueisen, Jeanne Fitter. 

standings; 

The final 

Team Won Lost Teom Won Lost 

Finton Jones... 69 36 Mode O'Day . 5S 50 

Hortmon's ... 62 43 Monley 53 52 

Central Shipping 56 49 Foxy Five. ... 42 63 

Heart Drive-In 55 50 101 Service... 28 77 

A Bowling Banquet was held by the 

women's teams at Blue HUls on May 18. 

The Jones team also won the team high 

game for the year and one of its members, 

Mary Heueisen, the individual high score 

for the year. 

Account Too Sma 

Large to Handle Wei 

\ 

Every member of the Cauger team 

is interested in helping you to achieve a profitable, 

satisfying share of more than 175 different local 

dealer classifications available for your community, large 

Phone CLifton 9390 

or small. List your theatre with us for local 

and notional film ad business. Moil 

the coupon today for full 

details 

... or wire or phone . . . today. 

MOTION PICTURE ADVERTISING for THEATRES ) 

10922 Winner Road Independence, AAo. 

Please have your representative call! I want to know more about local and notional 

film ad opportunities for my theatre. 

NAME 

FIRM 

STREET 

CITY 

STATE 

^'MllJ!l^-f^.!l|J.|.^l.^^^!.y.vJJ.!:lj!HJ.T4^î 

Films Council Installs 

Officers at Luncheon 

ST. LOUIS—Mrs. Norton J. EversoU Wfj 

installed as president of the Better Piin! 

Council at a luncheon Friday (20i celebrat 

ing the council's 25th anniversary. Mj; 

Gustav P. Goetsch, retii-ing president, pnji 

sided. Mrs. Eversoll had been first vial 

president this past year. Special guests at ti« 

luncheon included heads of circuits, theati 

managers and others connected with the ij.^ 

dustry in this area. 

Other officers installed by Mj-s. Arret 

Franklin Bui't, founder and honorary pres 

dent of the council, include Mrs. Geor 

O'Sullivan, first vice-president: Mrs. Jol 

Sutherland, second vice-president; Mrs. T. 

Eggers, third vice-president: Mrs. Andri 

Jones, fourth vice-president; Mrs. John 

Menniges. fifth vice-president; Milton 

Napier, sixth vice-president: Mrs. Ernest 

Robson, recording secretary; Mi-s. Adolph 

Reinecke, corresponding secretary; M 

Frank Kennedy, treasurer, and Mrs. P. 

Speckart, auditor. 

Following the installation ceremonies, M 

Eversoll presented a special pageant, concer 

ing the history of the council, compiled a 

written by Mi-s. Goetsch. Members who p; 

ticipated in the show were Mrs. John E. Ke, 

Mis. Albert H. Toma, Mi-s. Carl E. Fin, 

Mi-s. Echael Feinsteln, Mrs. Lewis S. Hasls, 

Mrs. T. G. Eggers, Mi's. O. A. Walters, V.. 

WUliam A. Wagner jr. and Mi-s. Howard 

Kelsey, with her son Peter and daught 

Caroline. Anna L. Petri was at the piano.d 

Mrs. James A. Friend and Mrs. Denj 

Phelan were iii charge of the luncheon, 

Mrs. O. L. Livesay and Mrs. Joseph Bar 

in charge of reservations, Mrs. Leslie Ba; 

of arrangements and Mrs. Harry Schillini 

flowers. 

Exploders Draw Fines 

ST. LOUIS—Judge Robert G. Dowd 

posed fines of $75 each on two youths 

discharged a firecracker in the Fox The! 

on a Sunday night a few weeks ago. 

boys were stopped by police officers w 

seen hurrying out a side exit of the tlj 

tre, shortly after the fii-ecracker explo| 

The noise had startled some of the audiei 

but all remained calm. After imposing > 

fines. Judge Dowd stayed the fines 

placed the youths on probation for 

', 

months. One of the conditions is that tj 

must stay out of the Fox during the 

month probation period. 

Plaza To Elvin Lambert 

LINDSBORG. 

i 

KAS.—Commonwealth m 

.«old the Plaza Theatre to Elvin LamberpH 

Lebanon, where he operates the Pic Thei'fcfl 

The Plaza has been a Commonwealth hsc 

for the past 10 years. It has not been equil-'' 

Enterprises. 

46 BOXOFFICE May 21 JS

. 

•

. . MGM 

! 

! 

; 

I 

ST. 

LOUIS 

Otuart and Dorothy Tomber have acquired 

all the stock, of Rio Syrup Co. from Ray 

Kuenz and Fred Blase, who have retired ... A 

special screening of "Mister Roberts" will 

take place Monday ( 23 ) at the St. Louis Theatre 

The St. Louis Amusement Co.. in 

. . . 

RIO SYRUP CO, 

ut MEW home! 

Visit our new factory 

and showrooms. 

1804-06 S. JEFFERSON 

ST. LOUIS 4, MO. 

Same Phone 

Numbers PR 2-4615 

Same Good Concess/on Sets'ice 

. . . and bandy to Film Row, too. 

its antitrust suit against Columbia Pictures. 

Loew's. Inc., and Loew's Dayton Theatre 

Corp., operator of Loew's State Theatre, has 

filed a request for a jury trial. Tlie action 

grew out of the showing of "The Caine 

Mutiny" at Loew's State instead of the 

plaintiff's St. Louis Theatre. 

Bill Heckenkamp, Paramount booker, is on 

his vacation . 

Workshop invitations 

have been sent to exhibitors of this territory. 

The Workshop, last in the series, will be 

staged at the Chase Hotel here on June 6 . . 

. 

Gene Beckliam, National Screen salesman, 

returned home from St. Joseph Hospital in 

Alton. He resides in Wood River. 111. ... A 

daughter of Mr. and Mi-s. Demetrious James 

and granddaughter of Tommy James, owner 

of the Comet, Strand and Douglas theatres, 

was christened at the Greek Orthodox Church 

of the Assumption. 

Harry Mersay, head of the 20th-Fox print 

department, was here recently . . . Out-of- 

. . . Lester Boni 

town exhibitors seen along Pilmrow include^ 

Frank Glemi, Tamaroa and Mount Vernon 

A. P. List, Highland, and Bill William!: 

Herman Gorelick, Realart Picture; 

Union . . . 

called on exhibitors in Hari-isburg, Herrir 

Carmi, Flora, Fairfield, Benton, Olney an 

Vandalia in a swing through southern Illi, 

nois . . . Ai'ch Hosier, St. Louis Theatr 

Supply, back from the Lake of the Ozark 

meeting of KMTA and MITO, took the roa 

for a trip to Metropolis 

Warner Bros, manager, went to Rolla to se! 

R. E. Carney of Carney Theatres. Comin; 

back he ran into a terrific rainstorm be 

tween St. James and Cuba. 

Hall Walsh, Warner Bros, district manage 

was in Kansas City . . . Dean Martin an 

Jerry Lewis and their revue were presente 

at Kiel Auditorium Sunday night (15) . . 

Funeral services were held at Herrin for Baj 

Meinardi, the father of Jolin Meinardi, Pc 

Midwest district manager. 

Widens Drive-In Screen 

CARBONDALE, ILL.— Bill Waring jr. 

widening the screen of his Waring's Au'; 

EVERYTHING 

FOR THE THEATRE 

St. Louis Theatre Supply Company 

Arch Hosier 

3310 Olive Street, St. Louis 3, Mo. 

Telephone JE 3-7974, JE 3-7975 

"SELECT" FOUNTAIN SYRUPS 

DRINK DISPENSERS 

Select Drink Inc. 

4210 W. Florissant Ave. Phone 

St. Louis, 15, Mo. Evergreen 5-5935 

Theatre between here and Murphysboro to ij 

feet. He has also purchased Simplex X-1 

mechanisms and Ultra Panatar lenses froj 

National Theatre Supply for the presentatict 

of Cinemascope, VistaVision and Superscopj 

NEW ATHENS, ILL.—The Town Theatij 

owned by A. Keuss jr., will be closed (! 

June 1 for the summer. 


Here's how RCA will help you break it 

An/fn^tMlf' 

Spread the News in Your Lobby — 

Free life-size lobby display looks handsome, 

catches patrons' attention before 

they see the show and reminds 

them of a good reason for returning. 





Tell 'Em During the Show-Free promo- 

tional trailer, professionally produced, I 


best in shows, equipment, seating. For' 


It's all yours free ... a 

Back"* Theatre Chairs 

has "Push-Back" instal 

*Push-Back^ 

complete promotion kit with each new installation of Griggs "Pushrom 

RCA. Your independent RCA Theatre Supply Dealer listed below 

ation facts and promotion boosters. See or call us . . . but do It soon 


MISSOURI THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

115 W. 18th Street 

Konsas City 8, Missouri 

ABBOTT THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO. 

1311 S. Wabash Avenue 

Chicago 5, Illinois 

Branch of MID-WEST, CINCINNATI 

326 Arcadia Court 

Fort Wayne, Indiona 

ST. 

LOUIS THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

3310 Olive Street 

St. 3, Louis Missouri 

48 

BOXOFFICE May 21 l.'S

T 

I Cm, 

i 

( 

: 

\'acation Sidelights at Lake Ozarks Meeting 

ANSAS CITY—Jottings on the spring 

cJference held by the Kansas-Missouri The- 

Ass'n and the Missouri-IUuiois TOA at 

owhead Lodge on the Lake of the Ozarks 

week 

Ihe A. V. Cauger Co. was represented by 

l' Groves and Jack Kramer who contributed 

ir;h-appreciated pencils, note pads and 

nUl rulers to the meeting. 

'his is the third year Mr. and Mrs. Eddie 

Cik of Metropolis, 111., have attended the 

Crk conclave. Eddie is general manager for 

t? lUohmet Theatres, consisting of two 

de-ins and two indoor houses, all in 

vjopolis. 

ella Faulkner, KMTA office secretary, and 

^ra Stroud, ditto for MITO, were never 

a^; to sit still dui-ing an entire meal. There 

we always details about which one or the 

er had to be consulted as an-ivals dropped 

il':o pick up tickets and room reservations. 

Ti^y earned their vacation the hard way. 

jack Hillyer, aided and abetted in gracious 

fpion by Mrs. Hillyer, was host at the 

ydnesday night cocktail party sponsored 

b United Film Service. It was one of those 

nlow occasions aiter business sessions are 

or when everyone feels relaxed and enjoys 

rjiiniscing about other times when industry 

i, nds had been together. The general opini( 

expressed about next year's meeting was 

lave it for one day, starting one afternoon 

t 

a breaking up the next. This was largely 

biught about by the fact that many could 

n stay over for the second night although 

t)^ who stayed found it more intimate and 

ii some ways more enjoyable than when 

t re was SRO around the tables. 

oy Rogers or Gene Autry in all his glory 

cild not equal some of the cowboy and other 

sjrt outfits that flashed through the lodge 

d some exhibitor or his wife. Fishermen, 

.'^ 

1 as George Baker and Gus Kopulos, fDiked 

the tradition of wearing all-weather 

g ments along less flashy lines, except for 

pd or checkered shirts, some of which 

n ht have tempted a fish to take a startled 

s- >nd look. Wednesday night several of the 

f ermen trooped into the lobby and held 

a ne of fine bass up for everyone to see. 

Nhere did you buy them?" someone called 

dward Arthur, who heads the Fanchon & 

^•co circuit of 28 theatres, all in St. Louis 

e:;pt two in Granite City, 111., says the only 

riK)n 

t he can think of for business being 

I Oi is that there axe not enough customers 

*i come in to see the average picture. 

Snds logical. 

,:aynard DeWitt represented the Star Dis- 

• 

P Fireworks Co. of Danville, lU., and gave 

a vely display of these Tuesday night over 

tl lake. 'What he did not know was that 

siral 

f 

exhibitor wives watching would ex- 

"There goes another $10! There goes 

tl price of film rental." The "waterfall" 

dilay reminded Gordon Halloran, 20th- 

P manager at St. Louis, of his own fairly 

ri nt narrow escape at Niagara Falls. He 

ii ited on having his wife photograph him 

he very spot that next day broke off and 

* t over the Falls—and at the time she 

^ kept insisting that she knew he was 

-I 

ding where it was not safe! 

imerous prizes were donated for the 

! ting by various supply dealers and several 

r^; M-^!lip[n 

the combined KMTA-MITO meeting at 

In a vacation mood were these groups at 

the Lake of the Ozarks, Arrowhead Lodge. At the top, left to right: Tom Edwards, 

Eldon, Mo.; George Kerasotes, TOA vice-president, Springfield, III; Lester Kropp, 

MITO president, St. Louis; Ed Harris, KMTA president, Neosho, Mo.; George Gaughan, 

TOA field representative, Memphis, and Louis Kerasotes, Springfield. Center: Mrs. 

Eddie Clark, MetropoUs, 111.; Dale Danielson, Russell. Kas.; Mrs. Lester Kropp. St. 

Louis; Elmer Bills, Salisbury, Mo.; Mrs. Danielson and Mrs. Bills. Bottom: C. E. Cook, 

Maryville, Mo.; Tom Bailey, MGM manager, St. Louis; Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Cook, Mrs. 

Dean Davis, West Plains, Mo.; Mrs. L. J. Williams, Union, Mo. 

couples won prizes on the occasions they 

were given out. Among the lucky recipients 

Tuesday night (prizes for women onlyi were 

Mrs. Dale Danielson, Mrs. Elmer Bills, Mrs. 

Dean Davis, Mrs. L. J. Williams. Wednesday 

noon prizes were won by A. B. Magarian, Mr. 

and Mrs. Dean Davis (one each), Joe Hendricks 

jr., Maynard DeWitt, Mr. and Mrs. 

Frank Weary III (one eachi, Jim Hazel, 

Chuck Thorn, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Williams 

(one each), George Kerasotes, Mi-, and Mrs. 

Jack Wareham (one each), Mrs. George 

Baker, Mary Kaxches, Lester Kropp. 

Midcentral was well represented by Dick 

Whitley, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Fellers and Mr. 

and Mrs. Jack Wareham. Jack "just happened" 

to have some photographs of young 

Mike along, and was not averse to showing 

them. Elmer Bills and wife Johnny grew 

quite excited the morning they were leaving 

when they found the Arrowhead Lodge folders 

for the season carried a photograph showing 

their daughter Margaret Ann in the foreground. 

She and several of her college 

friends had worked there last summer. Margaret 

is now replacing a teacher in North 

Kansas City and will go back to Missouri 

University for her degree this summer. 

Elmer Rhoden jr. reports he and his 

brother Clark and Roy Tucker of Commonwealth 

caught about 30 fish. The weather 

was damp with light showers both days, 

turning into heavy rain when the last guests 

were leaving Thursday morning. It was more 

favorable for scrabble and gin rummy than 

hikes and fishing. 

Myrna Dell has been set for the second 

femme lead in William Broidy's "Night 

Freight," an AA release. 

B ;OFFICE :: May 21, 1955 48-A

. . Bob 

I 

. . Glen 

. . Bob 

1 19 1 afternoon 

. . Warner 

. . Gene 

. . RKO 

. 

KANSAS CITY 

fllex Shniderman and Louis Sutter expect 

to open their 63rd Street Drive-In the 

last week in May . Adkins has sold 

out in Canton, Mo., and is moving to Kansas 

City . . .. Shreve Theatre Supply has installed 

a widescreen and new projection lenses for 

Mrs. Olive Travis in the Avalon at Sarcoxie, 

Mo. . . . Mi-s. Gene BuUard of the Ark-Vue 

Drive-In at Arkansas City, Kas., brought her 

son in to enjoy with her the recent Martin 

& Lewis stage appearance. 

Beverly Miller has a whole family working 

for him at the Fort Drive-In in Leavenworth. 

Fred Spindler manages the theatre and Mrs. 

Spindler the snack-bar. Larry and Lyle are 

such bright boys and were so eager to help 

that Bev finally let them alternate as doormen 

on week nights and they double up on 

weekends. Larry recently ran his motor 

scooter into a dog, landing in the hospital. 

President Richard Brons and General Manager 

Senn Lawler of Fox Midwest have gone 

to Los Angeles for a conference with heads 

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THEATRE SUPPLY 

COMPANY 

L. I. KIMBRIEL, Mcmagci 

Phon* Baltiznor* 3070 

IIS W. 18th Konsaa Cilr 8, Me. 

eample^n?m SERVICE 

ALL BUTTER DISPENSERS 

L&L POPCORN CO. 

1\^Z%^'X' 

. of National Theatres Brown has 

returned from service and is temporarily at 

the Orpheum in Wichita . . Fred Souttar's 

. 

secretary Marie Savage will marry Robert 

Lee Gilmore in the fall and live in Springfield, 

. . . C. C. Murray, city manager 

Mo. 

at Wichita, is meeting soon with Jack Leewood, 

Allied Artists exploiteer, to perfect 

plans for the world premiere of "Wichita" in 

that city . . . Mildred Edmonson is the new 

clerk typist at Columbia replacing Lily Nomura 

who replaces Nancy Leavell as steno for 

Bill Jeffries, office manager. 

Harold Lyon, Paramount manager, reports 

revamping the theatre to install a bigger 

screen and to make a few changes in the 

booth so he can open with "Strategic Air 

The wife of the 

Command" May 27 . . . 

RKO Missouri's longtime stagehand, George 

O'Laughlin, died recently after an illness of 

several years . Dickinson jr. reports 

these manager changes in the circuit: James 

Ferrell moved from the Dickinson at Topeka 

to the Glen at Joplin; Leo Colvin moved 

from the Trail at Olathe to the Dickinson, 

and John Gregg is a new man taking over 

at the Trail. 

National Theatre Supply reports furnishing 

Simplex projectors and Hi-Intensity f L8 

lamps and Hilux widescreen lenses for Mrs. 

Mabel McCormick's Car-Vue Drive-In at 

Reed Springs, Mo. Bob Smith did the installation 

and the screen was widened from 34 to 

48 feet. The Avenue in Kansas City, Kas., 

received new Bevelite panels running the 

entire width of the building, and 400 marquee 

letters. 

Current vacationers included Mary Tush, 

biller at U-I: Mrs. Catherine Dye, booking 

clerk at Warner Bros., who has returned from 

New Orleans and Galveston; Eunice Strevel, 

steno at WB, who attended the restaurant 

owners' convention in Chicago with her sister, 

Mrs. Dolores Stephenson, and husband; D. W. 

Craig, assistant manager of the Cowtown 

Drive-In at St. Joseph, meandering south and 

sending cards back from motels with the notation, 

"Craig slept here." 

National Screen Service has placed its 

Travel-Ads with operators of the Tauy at 

Ottawa, Kas.; the Belt Drive-In at St. Joseph, 

Mo. as well as the Skylarks at Leavenworth, 

Kas., St. Joseph and Jefferson City; 

the new Branson Drive-In at Branson, Mo.; 

the Corral at Eldon; the Crest at Hickman 

Mills and the Twin City at Rogers, Ai'k. 

At the recent KMTA-MITO meeting, special 

Ti'avel-Ad banners were made with a "welcome" 

from Tom Edwards of Eldon and 

from the National Screen Service. 

Syd Levy, NSS salesman, came back from 

his Variety Club vacation on the west coast 

driving a new car. It was a case of Hobson's 

choice because near Tucumcari, N. M., a 

driver came over a hill pa.ssing a truck and 

pushed Syd into the ditch, shaking him up 

and demolLshing his car. Syd bought a new 

car and drove on. 

yielding a more tender product. He insis 

the exhibitor can anticipate $30 more proi 

per 100 lbs. with this and offers special bar 

ners for use in concession stands advertisir 

the corn with each order. 

F. J. "Mike" Lee, district manager fi 

United Artists, came in Tuesday (17) to ho 

a sales meeting . Snitz of Columb 

says it looks to him as if pictures pre-sold < 

TV have a distinct advantage over othei 

and feels this should be recognized as : 

advertising medium by the industry rath 

than just as competition. 

Jean Seymour and Rose Marie Earp, F( 

Midwest secretaries, have returned from i 

exciting vacation in Hawaii. They went ov 

by boat, both suffering somewhat from se 

sickness, and flew back, being grounded se 

eral times because of adverse flying cone 

tions. They took about 500 photographs, si 

some first run movies where they found r, 

served seats, and learned that in Honolu 

where the temperature averages around 

degrees there is only one drive-in theatre. 

Ralph Gregory, IFE, made a trip to D 

Moines the past week and will go to Denv 

next week. Gregory has been plastering t 

steps leading up to the second floor offi 

at 1717 Wyandotte with signs, and has p. 

up a display board at the top of the stai; 

featuring IFE current releases. No exhibitshould 

have trouble finding him now . 

RCA Service Field Engineer Charley Nag, 

who headquarters in Cedar Rapids, lov, 

was in Kansas City on company busine. 

Field Engineer Charlie Speckman, who hea? 

quarters in Manhattan, Kas., has return,! 

from a vacation with his family in Minnsota 

Bud Troug. office manager 1' 

. . . United Artists, is back from a vacation wii 

Mrs. Troug in New Orleans and Biloxi. 

Tommy Thompson, Buena Vista represent 

five, has returned from a two-week trip i 

western Kansas . screened its saff"' 

short "Devil Take Us" for various interest! 

groups such as traffic representatives, Saff' 

Council personnel and others Thursd/ 

at the Paramount screenirroom 

. Bros, will hold a tracscreening 

of "Mr. Roberts" at the Brooksi; 

Theatre, at 2 p.m. Monday. Invitations hap 

been issued by Russ Borg, manager , . . 

^ 

Allison of National Theatre Supply v!l 

"work his way" back to Delhart, Tex., whi? 

he will pick up his family as soon as schd 

closes . . . Carl Miller of Jefferson Cii, 

Hub's son, will attend Missouri Univers/ 

next year. 

"OUR BUSINESS IS SOUND 

PHONE 3-7225. TOPEKA 

THEATRE SERVICE CO., INC. 

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LIGHTING • HOUSE DRAPERIES 

GREAT WESTERN STAGE EQUIPT. CO. 

1324 Grond Kansas Cify, Missouri 

Howard Strum of Poppers Supply reports 

he has arranged for the exclusive sale in this 

area of a new breed of popcorn seed, Hi- 

Ratio Yellow Hull-less. Howard says this 

registers a popping expansion of 39 and 40 

to 1, the first yellow hybrid corn without 

hulls with the larger popping expansion and 

j'- you* s 

'STEBBINS THEATRE 

Equipi 

^'WWT^^VV 

48-B BOXOFFICE May 21 1!^ i

, jd 

I 

pERRO 

'- 

I 

He 

. 

baseball, 

to 

I 

. . . M. 

. . Edward 

. . 

. . "The 

les Moines News Items 

llirToUTVCommenls 

)ES MOINES—Two recent letters to the 

t; tor in the Des Moines Register and Tribune 

(' 

pay-as-you-see TV have caused quite a 

of comment here. Both in opposition to 

l] 

3, proposed new medium, one letter is from 

^Ton N. Blank, president of Central Stat«s 

^leatre Corp. here, and the other from 

c'arlie Jones, owner of the Northwood Theaf. 

Northwood, Iowa. 

31ank said, in part, that if the plan should 

I adopted the television set owner would be 

orived of what is now established as a 

(rt of the American heritage—freedom to 

]:en and freedom to look, 

'ê said. "Toll TV does not add a single 

:hnological improvement for the better- 

Irnt of television, the social life of the com- 

)jnity or the comforts of life. Taking over 

air waves and converting them into a 

je 

faimodity that can be sold is gross commer- 

Lllsm, not improvement or progress." 

jBlank pointed out that the public woiUd 

jve to pay not only for the programs but 

[.0 for decoders to be attached to the telelilon 

set. cost of the latter being estimated 

! 

$75 to $100. plus installation. 

said that all the proponents of toll TV 

In say is. "We will give you more of the 

Ime—but not for free." He said it would 

iprive thousands of hospitalized war veterans 

football, boxing, basketball, and 

ner programs now available without charge. 

iConcluding, Blank wrote that two out of 

iree persons have written to the FCC in 

iror of the plan. "When will the public 

'alize what is hapi>ening to them?" he 

ied. 

.Theatre Owner Jones called attention to 

(6 small-town theatre's attitude on toll TV 

Id the probable effect any adoption of the 

might have on the small business com- 

(in 

"We know that anything that keeps 

.onity. 

lOple in their homes and away from the 

art of the town—the business district—is 

I 

for all business," he said. 

I 'The scene of a town's theatre closing, fol- 

'ved by an impassioned effort by the ma- 

•ity of the remaining merchants to reopen 

and keep its lights burning as the main 

.siness stimulator on Main street, has been 

seated hundreds of times across Iowa and 

,e 

i 

nation." Jones elaborated. 

I 

'Continuing thLs line of thought, he asked, 

I .fa town's business is not prosperous, what 

I ', 

support schools, churches and civic en- 

) •prises? 

I'The coming hearings on this important 

ue," Jones said, "and the resulting rulings 

the FCC will be extremely important to 

J 

ery TV set owner and critically important 

every merchant on the Main street of the 

lall town." 

oul Musser Shutters 

2ASEY, ILL.—The LyTic Theatre was 

ised by owner Paul Musser. who plans an 

tensive trip because of his health. He 

ised his Old Trails Theatre at Greenup 

t year. 

5 istalls Widescreen 

GORDO. ILL.—Walter Gill, owner 

the Crest Theatre, recently installed a new 

ilker 

high intensity widescreen. 

CHICAGO 

lîck Bonomo of the Gateway is recuperating 

at home following five weeks in the 

hospital. He was hospitalized because of a 

.serious heart attack . . . Max Pearl of the 

Paradi.se is enjoying a California vacation. 

"A Man Called Peter" also will be held at 

Raymond Kenney, manager of the Beverly, 

announced that he has scheduled a return 

showing of "The Long Gray Line" for patrol 

and altai- boys who are a part of the parochial 

schools in the neighborhod. A special screenof 

the Beverly for the Protestant clergy of the 

city's south side. They are asking for clergy 

cooperation when the film opens there 

June 10. 

Charles Percy, president of Bell & Howell 

Co., made a talk on national trade policy at a 

meeting of the Bond Club of Chicago. Percy 

is vice-chairman of the commitiee for national 

trade policy. 

The publicity set up by Tom Dowd. manager 

at the Ziegfeld. for "Lady Panane" 

proved so effective that it is being used for 

openings in other houses here and out-oftown 

Exhibitors visiting Filmrow 

cities . . . were Hyland Clark, Milford Theatre, Milford, 

111.: Ralph Schoelhorn, Dundee Theatre. 

Dundee. HI.; Wright Catlow, Catlow Theatre, 

BaiTington, 111. 

Dave Cantor, RKO exxploiteer, was here 

with four of the harem beauties seen in "Son 

of Sinbad." The picture is scheduled for an 

early opening here . 

Greisheim of 

the lUiopolis Theatre, lUiopolis, 111., made one 

of his rare visits to Pilmrow. 

Arthxir H. Bolt was appointed assistant to 

the vice-president of western operations of 

Bell & Howell, according to Charles H. Percy, 

president. Bolt started with Bell & Howell 

as an apprentice when 16, and has been director 

of sales since 1951. He will make his 

headquarters in the company's Hollywood 

offices at 716 North LaBrea Ave. as of Jime 1. 

B&K has scheduled 'Cell 2455, Death 

Row" for seven of its larger neighborhood 

theatres . . . Nat Nathanson, heading AA 

operations here, spent a week in Indianapolis 

on busine.ss. 

Charles Demos, manager of the Jeffery, said 

a full-page ad appearing in the metropolitan 

section of the Chicago Tribune will continue 

for six subsequent weeks. The special advertising 

campaign is shared with 16 neighborhood 

stores and a restaurant. Purpose is to 

promote concentration of interest in the 71st 

street business area, the site of the participants. 

Joan Crawford and her husband Alfred 

Steele dined with friends here before going 

on to New York and a European honeymoon 

J. Metzner is the new manager at 

the Howard Theatre. He has been with B&K 

for several years as assistant manager at 

different theatres. Extensive redecorating at 

the Howard includes a 19x42-foot Cinema- 

Scope screen installation. 

Irving Mack, head of Pilmack Trailer Co.. 

and his wife left for Atlanta, where they will 

participate in the Southeastern Movie Festival 

.. . James GUliam. son of Tom GiUiam. 

manager of 20th-Fox, is stationed at Fairbanks, 

Alaska, with the U. S. Air Force . 

Nat Kamen, owner of the Holly Theatre, is 

back operating his business following two 

weeks in Mount Sinai Hospital. 

Members of the Cinema Lodge bowUng team 

took over the Black Orchid Wednesday evening 

118) for their annual banquet . . . 

Stanley 

Leay, owner of the Stanley Theatre in 

Galena, was in greeting Filmrow friends . . 

. 

Repubhc's "Timberjack" broke into 45 outlying 

theatres Friday (20). It was billed with 

"The Country Girl" . 

Eternal Sea" 

is scheduled to open at the Roosevelt Theatre 

for two weeks beginning June 15. 

-Mad at the "World" and "Crashout," being 

distributed by Albert Dezel in the Chicago 

area, opened at the Rocsevelt Theatre 

Wednesday 1I81 and wiU break on a citywide 

basis June 3. Keefe Brasselle spent a couple 

of days here this week helping to exploit "Mad 

at the World." The film holds special interest 

for Chicagoans .since some of the scenes were 

shot within the city and Paul Dubov, former 

west side resident, has a feature role in the 

pictiu'e. 

Shutters for Summer 

KINLOCH PARK, MO—The 500-seat 

Lincoln Theatre, owned by Charley Goldman 

and Jules Leventhal of St. Louis, is scheduled 

to close for the summer. 

To Close at Oakland, 111. 

OAKLAND, ILL.—The Oakland Theatre, 

owned by the estate of the late Hugh Mc- 

Gregor, will be closed Saturday (28). 

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! 'XOFFICE : : May 

21, 1955

. . Kenneth 

. . Sabra 

. , Pres 

. . Bob 

j 

I 

INDIANAPOLIS 

Voung Amusement Co. has sold the Circle 

at Hagerstown, the community's only theatre, 

to a food market operator. But Perfect 

Circle, the town's leading industry, is working 

on a deal to take over the house and 

have Y&W run it on a fee basis. It was 

closed Saturday (14) ... The Quimby circuit 

has opened Port Wayne's first art house, the 

Little Cinema . Hibler has closed 

the Eastern, a neighborhood house at Fort 

Wayne. 

Floyd Burdette, owner of the Bel-Air Drivein 

at Riclomond, donated the plant and proceeds 

for one night's showing to the high 

school athletic department . Stoner 

entertained Martinsville high school juniors 

and seniors and faculty members with a midnight 

show at the Center-Book Drive-In, 

Marc Wolf, International main guy of Variety 

and former chief barker, was given a 

gold lifetime membership card at the Los 

Angeles convention . Black, daughter 

of WB salesman Gale Black, has won a 

scholarship to New York University . . . Roy 

Kalver, Bill CaiToll and Trueman Rembusch 

WIDE SCREEN and 

CINEMASCOPE 

Equipment of All 

Kinds 

MID -WEST THEATRE 

SUPPLY CO., 

CINCINNATI, OHIO 

INC. 

INDIANA REPRESENTATIVE 

ED N. HOWE 

326 Arcadia Court 

Ft. Wayne, Indiana 

Kenmore 5180 

will attend the National Allied board meetmg 

May 24 and 25 . . . Claude McKean, WB 

manager, has set up a trade showing of "Mister 

Roberts" at the Pomitain Square at 1:30 

p.m. Monday (23). 

Dallas Schuder, manager of the Cu'cle, lined 

up a high school band, American Legion 

chorus, retired major general and the "Hoosier 

Ail- Princess" for his "Strategic Air Command" 

premiere festivities . . . Bob Jones 

reports a lengthy reservation list for Vai'iety's 

"Hottest 500" dance at the clubrooms Saturday 

(28). 

Variety Tent 10 will stage a telethon for 

United Cerebral Palsy on WFBM-TV November 

26. Barker Marc Wolf was head of a 

similar independent project that raised 

$250,000 for that charity two years ago . . . 

Wolf returned to his office at Y&W after attending 

the International Vai'iety convention 

at Los Angeles . . . Chief Barker Bob Conn 

has named Dale McFarland and Rex Carr to 

the publicity committee. 

Ralph Banghart and Dave Cantor of RKO 

were here to parade the "Son of Sinbad" 

harem beauties . . . J. M. Goldberg, Cincinnati, 

owner of the Real Art franchise, was 

here with Terry Tm-ner . Conn, 20th- 

Fox manager, and T. O. McCleaster, district 

manager, conducted drive meetings in Cincinnati 

Monday (9) and here Tuesday . . . 

Russell KeUey has reopened the Bel-Air 

Drive-In at Versailles . . . Paul Love, who recently 

took over the Shelbm-n Di-ive-In, has 

given up the State in Worthington, which is 

now being operated by M. E. Stevenson . . . 

Three houses reported closed included Oscai' 

Alpert's Mecca and Earl Bell's Bell, both here, 

and Don Skidmore's Joy, Waterloo . . . Gale 

Black, Ray Thomas and Ken Dotterer were 

the committee in charge of the Indianapolis 

Colosseum's annual dimier dance at the 

Marott Hotel, held Saturday (14). 

R. A. Cook to Atchison 

ATCHISON—Roscoe A. Cook is the new 

manager of the Frontier Drive-In, which is 

operated by Charles Potter and Harold Lux. 

Cook was formerly at the Roxy in Shelbyville. 

Mo. 

Remodeling at Alton, 111. 

ALTON, ILL.—Floyd Hauhe and Vernon 

Miller, who purchased the State Theatre 

from the Beck family, have started an extensive 

remodeling and improvements program. 

Miller is managing the house. 

RESEARCH iil 

or 

MODERN THEATRE PLANMf 

ENROLLMENT FORM FOR FREE INFORATIOI 

The MODERN THEATRE 

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825 Van Brunt Blvd. 

Kansas City 24, Mo. 

Gentlemen: 

Please enroll us in your RESEARCH f'R^ 

to receive information regularly, as releod, 

the following subjects for Theatre Plann'g 

n Acoustics 

Air Conditioning 

n Architectural Senrico 

n "Black" Lighting 

n Building Material 

n Carpets 

n Coin Machines 

n Complete Remodeling 

n Decorating 

n Drink Dispensers 

n Drive-In Equipment 

D Other Subjects 

Theatre 

Seating Capacity.. 

n Lighting Fixrei 

D Plumbing Fi 

n Projectors 

n Projection L,n] 

n Seating 

n Signs and NrquH 

D Sound Equinent 

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THEWfTRE EQUIPMENT 

442 N. ILLINOIS ST., INDIANAPOLIS, IND. 

"Everything for the Theatre" 

Henry Alsher Reopens 

NEW HAVEN, ILL.—The Nox Theatre, 

which was closed April 1 by Elmer Quesstell, 

has been reopened under the management 

of Henry Alsher, who had operated the 

house some time ago. 

Booth Fire Closes Theatre 

LOVINGTON. ILL.—The Town Theatre, 

owned by Hal Bowers, has been closed due to 

a recent booth fire, which badly damaged 

projection machines and other equipment. 

Address 

City.. 

Signed.. 

Postage-paid reply cards for your further 'Of"'!' 

in obtaining information are provided in The ODt 

THEATRE Section, published with the first ssue 

each month. 

48-D BOXOFFICE May 21 55

L 

I 

! 

the 

j^îM|!N|^H 

i^^H 

^J-Dun Anniversary 

aluted by Friends 

LANETT. ALA. — Chattahoochee Valley 

jjidents and friends in the industry this 

onth are saluting Al-Dun Amusement Co. 

the occasion of its 25th anniversary, 

irhe company is now owned by L. J. Duncan 

Id wife. Duncan, who broke into show 

siness as an usher at the age of eight, 

lunded the company in 1930 with his fatheri-law, 

the late George Dean Allen. 

.The Valley Daily Times-News paid tribute 

itorially 

to Duncan, not only for his efforts 

motion picture business but for his 

j/ic achievements. The paper pointed out 

at Duncan and Associates modernized and 

larged the General Tyler Hotel and also 

;re responsible for establishing the Valley'.^ 

St radio station. 

iThe Times-News said: "We know of no 

ke who has displayed more enthusiasm, more 

ergy, or more ambitious ingenuity than has 

jncan in promoting good motion picture 

tertainment for The Valley. We understand 

at his associates in both the large and 

.lall cities of the nation have always been 

lazed and wholly unable to understand how 

ink's Theatres have been able to show so 

any firsts of the big pictures along with, 

\d even prior to, many of the largest motion 

:ture houses in the country." 

Local merchants presented the circuit with 

1955 Plymouth, which in turn will be 

;arded to a lucky patron on June 9. The 

mpany operates the Lanett, Riviera and 

lirfax theatres and the Hih-way and Valley 

ive-Ins. 

l. C. Mullins to Reopen 

iigh Springs Airer 

[HIGH SPRINGS. FLA.—R. C. Mullins of 

I'onson is the new proprietor of the drive-in 

' 

the road to Alachua. He leased it from Mr. 

d Mrs. Carlos Gutschlag. who had not re- 

•ened it since the equipment was damaged 

fire last October. 

'The new operator has been active in the 

eatre business for the past eight years as 

erator of a theatre in Bronson since 1947. 

;; also has a theatre in Cedar Key and 

jsei another which he operated in Yankeewn 

to move to High Springs. Mullins is 

irried and has a 4-year-old son, Robert, 

.le family will live in High Springs. 

Claughton Circuit Head 

Dies at Miami Home 

MIAMI—Edward N. Claughton, 60, whose 

\aried businesses included theatre, railroad, 

hotel and real estate holdings, died of cancer 

at his home here. 

' 

m Claughton came here 

' 

>• ^ 20 years ago from Com 

^^H lumbus, Ga. He had 

been a semi-invalid 

I f '^^H 

I r^ ,*^' "B for several months, fol- 

' 

^^& 

lowing 

_JHil 

an operation 

P^B *r, Jn^M ^^^^ November. 

^^T'*' JM For many years 

^^^, "3H Claughton has been a 

"" prominent and often 

stormy figm-e in political 

and financial circles. 

Only recently he 

Edward Claughton ^gs nationally spotlighted 

for an incident in connection with a 

Lincoln Day fund raising dinner at the Urmey 

Hotel, lately acquired by him. City officials 

say he waged vigorous war on other issues 

in the courts dui-ing his lifetime. 

As a stockholder in the Florida East Coast 

Railway, he fought against all efforts to 

force removal of the downtown station and 

tracks. Longest battle is said to have been 

over his claim to 50 acres of bay bottom 

around Bui'Iington Island at the mouth of 

the Miami river. Claughton claimed the 

right to enlarge and develop the island. The 

Florida supreme court reversed itself on a 

former decision to award him title to the 

underwater land, ruling he owned some 20 

acres above water. 

A chain of theatres in Tampa was sold 

some time ago, but the Claughton circuit 

owns and operates theatres in Greater Miami. 

The financier also held interests in the 

Chicago & Eastern Illinois Raih'oad. and 

the Missouri. Kansas & Texas Railroad. He 

negotiated the purchase of the old Royal 

Palm Hotel property and the vast Flagler 

interests around It near the center of town. 

Part of the property, now known as DuPont 

Plaza, was developed by Claughton and sold 

last year. 

He was one of the principal developers of 

Boynton Beach, north of here. He was a 

member of the Miami Beach Community 

Church, a director of Variety Children's 

Hospital, member of the Citizens Board of 

the University of Miami, advisory board 

member of the Opera Guild of Greater Miami, 

honorary member of Sigma Phi Epsilon 

Fraternity and a member of various social 

and civic clubs. 

The funeral was private and Claughton 

theatres remained closed during the period. 

Instead of flowers, it was requested that 

friends send contributions to the hospital or 

to cancer research. 

Surviving are his wife. Mi-s. Lillian; two 

sons, Edward N. jr., of Miami, and William 

Schuler, of Birmingham, and a daughter, 

Mrs. Jerome Matthews of Miami. 

Buy El Dorado Ozoner 

EL DORADO, ARK.—Clark-McWilliams 

Enterprises has taken over operation of the 

Seven Drive-In here from G. W. Jones of 

Little Rock. Thomas H. Burton, who has been 

manager since the ozoner opened in 1949. 

will remain and will also manage the Sky 

Vue, owned by the circuit, which also owns 

the local Rialto and Majestic theatres. Members 

of the fli'm include James A. Mc- 

Williams and L. B. Clark of El Dorado and 

Ruth M. Carson of Oklahoma City. 

Theatreman to Ad Post 

BIRMINGHAM—Norris Hadaway, manager 

of the Alabama Theatre, is the new president 

of the Bu-mingham Advertising Club. 

' 

ilothers Receive Gifts 

:EAU GALLIE, FLA.—Jack Grayson, maner 

of the Brevard Drive-In, scheduled a 

I ;; Mother's Day program, with plenty of 

1 fts for special mothers. In addition to the 

,izes awarded by the theatre, a number of 

,:al merchants provided additional gifts. 

Prizes were given to the youngest and oldest 

Jthers, the mother with the largest number 

children and other classifications. 

lected Head of C of C 

BOONEVILLE, ARK—Theatre owner E. W. 

vage has been elected president of the 

:al Chamber of Commerce. 

\ Borrows Robert Wagner 

..Robert Wagner has been borrowed from 

,;h-Fox for the top starring role in United 

tists' "A Kiss Before Dying." 

ITOA officers and directors, with visiting TOA officials, attending the Little Rock 

convention included, seated, left to right, Fred Brown, Fort Smith; M. S. McCord, 

North Little Rock, vice-president; E. D. Martin, TOA president; K. K. "Deacon" 

King, Searcy, retiring vice-president and newly elected chairman of the board; Jim 

Carbery, secretary-treasurer and new president, and Cecil Cupp, vice-president. Standing, 

George Gaughan, TOA field representative; Carl Burton, Fort Smith, vicepresident; 

Sidney Wharton, Warren, vice-president; Bartus Gray, Jacksonville; Ray 

Cochran, North Little Rock; E. W. Savage, Booneville, vice-president; Terry Axley, 

England, and Charles Reveley, Stephens. 

XOFFICE May 21, 1955 

SE 49

. . . John 

. . . Jack 

. . . Harvey 

. . . French 

. . Mrs. 

. . 

. . The 

' 

JACKSONVILLE 

Ueekin's Acres, the home of Mr. and Mrs. 

Robert Heekiii, was the scene of a midnight 

outdoor feast and dance which was 

attended by officials 

and present and past 

employes of Florida 

State Theatres, as well 

as by groups of invited 

guests from distributor 

offices along Filmrow 

L. Crovo was 

named president of the 

Motion Picture Council 

at an annual election 

held at a luncheon 

meeting in the 

Seminole Hotel. Other 

officers chosen were John Crovo 

A. W. Cogswell, first vice-president; Mrs. 

A. V. Sangster, secretary, and Mary Dallos. 

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JACKSONVILLE 

treasurer. Crovo was also recently elected 

treasurer and a director of the Humane 

Society. 

Following- the resignation of Norma Cole, 

WOMPI treasurer, her place was taken by 

Gennell Beaumont of Paramount . . . Janice 

Claxton, WOMPI president, is working on 

plans for a luncheon to be held at the 

lATSE Local 

Roosevelt Tuesday (24) . . . 

B-67 will have its amiual summer outing at 

Jacksonville Beach Saturday night (28), according 

to Barbara "Sunny" Greenwood of 

. . . Advance 

the entertainment committee 

tickets are on sale for a Variety Club ball 

at the Roosevelt Hotel, also Saturday (28) 

Rigg. United Ai'tists salesman, back 

from a central Florida trip, where he called 

on Carl Floyd and Bob Daugherty of Floyd 

Theatres in Haines City, said that a prolonged 

drought is causing concern among 

area farmers. 

Distributor managers here from Atlanta for 

calls at local booking offices included Bob 

Ingram. Columbia: Dave Pi-ince, RKO, and 

Ollie Williamson, Warner Bros. , . . Exhibitors 

here included Frank Bell, FST district supervisor 

from Tampa; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gordon, 

Carver and Lincoln theatres, Orlando; 

J. W. Mullin, formerly of Oklahoma, who is 

the new owner of the Citrus Drive-In at 

Hernando; R. C. Mullis, High Springs Drive- 

In, High Springs; Chris Carratt, Park Theatre, 

Starke; William Lee. Keystone Heights, 

and J. M. Wells, Kingsland, Ga. 

Milton C. Moore, former manager of the 

Lake Shore Theatre, was defeated in a city 

council election . . . Roy Smith, theatre candy 

and popcorn supplier, returned from several 

days in Chicago . Bob Dennis is Mark 

DuPree's new secretary in the FST home 

Johnny Sims, of the 20th-Fox 

office . . . 

off.ce, was suffering with an injured back. 

LaMar Sarra, FST vice-pre.sident and 

general counsel, and Tommy Hyde, Tallahassee 

city manager of Talgar Theatres, were 

instrumental in gaining from Gov. LeRoy 

Collins a proclamation urging public support 

of the Southeastern Movie Festival Month 

from May 16 to Jmie 16. Wires of the Associated 

Press and the United Press carried 

stories of the proclamation. 

Fess Parker, star of "Davy Crockett," is 

scheduled to lead the dedication ceremonies 

of the new baseball park here on June 2. 

He is also slated to make a day-long round 

of public appearances in company with theatremen 

and Mayor Haydon Burns. 

Florida now has a total of 366 theatres 

equipped for Cinemascope, it was learned 

from Thomas P. Tidwell, 20th-Fox manager 

Reinstein, Buena Vista represenative, 

was here to host at screenings of "Lady 

and the Tramp" and "Davy Crockett" . 

Jack Wiener left for Atlanta to assist in staging 

the MGM Workshop there . . . Bill Beck 

at the fa-st run Five Points Theatre doublebilled 

"The Looters" and "Cult of the Cobra" 

during the current shortage of good product 

B. Harvey, FST exploitation 

chief, returned from a working tour of 

central Florida. 

Maurice Shaaber, Wil-Kin Theatre Supply, 

supervised the installation of Cinemascope 

equipment at the Imperial Theatre managed 

by John Thomas. 

Angela Lansbury will play the femme lead 

in Columbia's "Marshal of Medicine Bend." 

SAVANNAH 

T coal theatres are tieing in with the Soutl 

eastern Film Festival as an all summ 

proposition, rather than for a month's peric 

Ads, traUers and posters will be used to t 

form local fans of outstanding summer al 

tractions in air conditioned comfort 

. . . tI 

Weis Theatre screened "The Eternial Sej 

for local naval, marine and civic officials . i 

City Beat, popular column in the Mornij 

News, had the drive-in managers excited wi! 

the announcement of the new Grove Drivecpening. 

It turned out to be a drive-in rt 

taurant, not a theatre. Hereabouts, with ;; 

drive-ins, some in the city limits and soir 

just outside, ch-ive-in is usually associatl 

with theatre, w'hich was probably what thrthe 

City Beat editor off the track. 

> 

Savannah and the Lucas Theatre W(; 

plugged in a recent George Gobel TV she. 

The comic had worked up an idea in t; 

dialog with Jack Bemiy that he might ta; 

the show on the road. He faced the came* 

then announced, "All you folks in Savannij, 

Ga., pay close attention." On the stage caifc 

a pretty girl carrying a sign reading Lu(b 

Theatre. Thm-sday. The punch line ca;p 

when Gobel solemnly announced that "tly 

would not be in Savannah at the Luc!, 

Thursday" . Victory Drive-In has .L 

opened, following completion of a new scrfji 

tower, replacing the one destroyed a f] 

weeks ago by a freak tornado. 

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Weis, operators of 18 

Weis, Savannah and State, weekended (t 

their cottage at Tybee Beach . . . Local 

hibitors are keeping theu- fingers crossed a 

a recent announcement of a special sess:,! 

of the state legislatiu-e for tax-raising piiposes. 

She was neatly dressed, middle aged, smii 

sweetly as she approached the boxoffice of e: 

Lucas Theatre. "I'll tell you somethlngif 

you promise not to tell anyone," she saidp 

the cashier. The cashier nodded 'an agrj-' 

ment. "I came to this theatre to seeji 

Man Called Peter' five times." WhereujO 

the cashier informed her that during je 

three weeks engagement the theatre M 

played to many repeats; some four-timls, 

and even some reports of patrons seeingjt 

six times. "I know," said the sweet 

"but, honey, I sat through two shows e'ii 

time." 

Civic Post to Showman 

\ 

BOONEVILLE, ARK. — E. W. SaVij 

owner-operator of the Savage Theatre i 

Bel Air Drive-In, has been named presidit 

of the Chamber of Commerce here. He '}S 

also on a recent special committee wtj 

welcomed the opening of a new comb facte]? 

William A. Porter Reopes 

VICKSBURG, MISS.—"Bad Day at Bl:k 

Rock" was featured at the reopening of le 

Vicksburg Drive-In, which has been clcfd 

since a severe windstorm leveled its scrjn 

a month ago. William A. Porter is the ow:r. 

Prints Anniversary Photo 

NATCHEZ, MISS.—The local paper, nolig 

the fifth anniversary of the Ritz Theira 

here under the same management, featt!(i 

a four-column photo of the house staff vw 

owner Mrs. Irving Oberlui. 

'^ 

50 

BOXOFFICE 

:: May 21, .'i

I 

! . Arkansas 

. Lepanto 

. . The 

. . Wedding 

ilMPJill 

.uiny Thomas, star of motion picture and 

vlevision, arrived during Cotton Carnival 

lid two weeks focusing attention on St. 

Hospital for Children, which he has 

iniied for years to build here. He has had 

'busy schedule, which included appearances 

Cotton Carnival functions and parades; a 

'non by the Lebanese Society of the 

at the Hotel Peabody. a testimonial 

iiith 

! 

micr by the Knights of Columbus, and talks 

the Rotary and other groups. A climax 

111 be a huge benefit show at Overton Park 

lell Friday (27), in which comedian Jerry 

wis and singer Dinah Shore will also 

j'Pei pear. 

). Urnlother visitor was Fess Parker, the star 

I "Davy Crockett." Ed Terhune, Dallas, 

Kblicist for Buena Vista, was also in town 

make plans with Manager W. Watson Davis 

I 

the Malco for the opening here June 9 

Drive-In at Lepanto, Ark., has 

opened and the Cozy at Tuckerman. Ark., 

IS closed for repairs ... Ed Doherty and 

ffover Wray of Exhibitor Service made a 

p.p to Osceola to talk w'ith Owen Williams 

the Gem Theatre . bells will 

ig June 3 at Bellevue Baptist Church for 

ella House, stenographer at 20th-Fox, and 

I'.m Forsythe . . . Lucile Mitchell, head injector 

for Paramount, is convalescing after 

ajor surgery . new ledger clerk at 

-I is Mary Gauff, who succeeds Sue Fenill 

. . . Martha Esgrow, tJ-I contract clerk, 

|iited the company studios on her Caliirnia 

vacation. 

The MGM office is undergoing a complete 

decorating and repainting progi-am. The 

w color scheme will be light green and 

je . . . Laura Gordon. MGM head booker. 

on vacation . . . 20th-Fox employes enyed 

an office picnic at Riverside Park 

. Fred Curd, RKO office manager and 

sephine Winbigler, inspector, are taking 

jeir respective vacations . . . Memphis visjirs 

from Mississippi during the week in- 

Uded Glenn Moser. the Gay, Olive Branch; 

irs. J. C. Noble, the Temple at Leland; 

ihn Carter, Whitehaven Drive-In, Grenada; 

(rs. Jack Watson, Palace, Tunica; B. F. 

Ickson, Delta, Ruleville; Mrs. Valeria Gul- 

Benoit, Benoit; R. B. Cox. Eureka, Bates- 

;t, 

.le; Ray Prigmore, Superba, Charleston, 

id Claud Gentry, Lyric, Baldwin. 

From Missouri came R. R. Clemmo:^s of the 

issouri, Parma; Lyle Richmond. Senath at 

fnath, and John P. Ray, Palace at Kennett 

visitors included Alvin "Petee" 

ipton, Tipton theatres at Caraway, Manila 

ud Monette; George Young, the Grove at 

oily Grove, and Henry Haven, Imperial at 

>rest City ... In from Tennessee were 

nelia Ellis, Mason at Mason; H. H. Haddad. 

junford. Munford; J. W. Boden, Sundown 

•ive-In, Paris; Ernest Pollack, Strand, 

')enwald; Douglas Pierce, Jaxon, Jackson; 

eve Stein, Met, Jackson; W. L. Taylor, Upxn, 

Dresden; Bill Morrison, Lake County 

ive-In, Wynnburg; Ed Fi-itz, Waldren, 

lion City; W. H. Gray, Rutherford, Ruthford, 

and N. B. Fair, Somerville, Somerle. 

o It Yourself on Slate 

•Added to the United Artists schedule is the 

ginal comedy by Donald Ridgeway, "Do It 

lurself." 

Tennessee TOA to Honor 

Alfred Starr May 31 

Bill Proposes Lifting 

Sunday Drive-In Ban 

COLUMBIA, S. C.—The Florence County 

delegation to the state assembly has cleared 

the way for drive-in showings on Sunday 

nights, with the introduction of a bill which 

would make it legal to present shows after 

9 p. m. The bill, however, was ammended 

so as to require a petition from at least 

10 per cent of the registered voters in any 

commissioner district within which Sunday 

movies are proposed to be held. If the theatre 

is located within an incorporated 

municipality, the petition would not be required, 

but written permission would have 

to be obtained from the governing board of 

the municipality. 

Even where permission is granted by 

petition, the question would still be submitted 

to the voters of the particular district 

at the next general election. At that election, 

the voters woiild determine whether they 

desire to continue the showing of Sunday 

movies. If not, then the permit would be 

canceled. 

The act would not apply to any district, 

city or town which permitted the exhibition 

of motion pictures on Sundays before enactment 

of the new act. 

Goldberg Family Lauded 

By Kermit C. Stengel 

NASHVILLE, TENN.— Mi's. Lee L. Goldberg 

has received a letter from Kermit C. 

Stengel, president of the Crescent Amusement 

Co. in Nashville, to the effect that the 

fortieth anniversary celebration of Realart 

Pictures and the Lee Goldberg family is a 

happy occasion for him. 

"It recalls many treasured memories of my 

early association w'ith the Crescent Amusement 

Co. and the keen awâreness of the 

mutual respect and admiration which existed 

between my late father-in-law, Tony Sudekum, 

and Mr. Goldberg," Stengel said. 

Bargains for Students 

ENTERPRISE, ALA.—A dollar buys teenagers 

a full year of bargain prices at the 

Levy and Ritz theatres here. 

The dollar entitles the youngsters to a 

personalized identification card and admission 

to either theatre for 25 cents. It applies 

to young patrons 12 through 17. Without the 

discount, the admission to the Levy would 

be 50 cents and to the Ritz, 35 cents. 

Seeking 'Movie Queen' 

MONROEVILLE. ALA.—Ralph B. Mann, 

manager of the Monroe Theatre, is conducting 

a contest in cooperation with local merchants 

to select a "Movie Queen of 1955." 

The winner will receive an expense-paid vacation 

trip to Florida for herself and a 

companion. 

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Theatre 

Ow-ners A.ss'n will salute Alfred Starr, member 

of the TTOA Board and Tennessee's most 

distinguished contribution to organized exhibition, 

at a statewide meeting in the Hermitage 

Hotel here Tuesday i31). Highlight of 

the one-day meeting will be the buffet 

luncheon at noon. 

Starr is co-chairman with Trueman T, 

Rembusch of the Committee Against Pay- 

As-You-See TV, a component of Organizations 

for Free TV and past president and 

currently chairman of the executive committee, 

Theatre Owners of America. 

In addition, Starr has been active in civic 

affairs in his hometown of Nashville, where 

he has served as president of the Children's 

Museum and the Nashville Community F\ind. 

He is a founder of the Nashville Symphony 

Orchestra, incorporator of the Nashville Educational 

Television Foundation and member 

of the lay advisory committee for Vanderbilt 

Medical School. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt 

University in Nashville. 

Starr will be one of the featured speakers at 

the session. Other speakers on the program 

will include E. D. Martin, Columbus. Ga., 

president of TOA, and George Kerasotes, 

Springfield, 111., a vice-president of TOA and 

president of the United Theatre Owners of 

Illinois. 

Morton Tune, Princess Theatre. Shelbyville, 

Tenn., a vice-president of TTOA, is general 

chaii-man of the meeting to be assisted by a 

statewide committee including Neil Blount, 

Memphis; E. P. Sapins, Memphis; W. F. Ruffin, 

jr., Covington; R. B. Gooch, Selmer; 

Earnest R. Martin. Winchester; Bob Ho,sse, 

Nashville; Dave Cheatham, Pulaski; W. D. 

Quarles, Gainesboro; Jay Solomon, Chattanooga; 

Wilford Gillenwater, Bristol; Aubrey 

Couch, Knoxville; Walter Morris, Knoxville; 

Juanita Belleville, Alcoa; W. J. Hatfield, 

Oak Ridge, and G. D. Baker. Morristown. 

Advance registrations indicate that this 

will be the best attended meeting in the history 

of this association. Interest is running 

high in events now transpiring within the 

industry, and the speakers are top men in 

present negotiations. 

Jim Blevins of the Blevins Popcorn Co., 

will serve as host at the luncheon. 

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'XOFFICE :; May 21, 1955 51

— 

: May 

I 

Two Holdovers Lead 

Memphis Grosses 

MEMPHIS—"The Blackboard Jungle" led 

attendance in its thii-d and final week at 

Loew's State with 125 per cent. "Untamed" 

did just average business in its second week 

at the Malco. 


Moico Untamed (20th-Fox), 2nd wk 100 

Palace The Looters (U-l) 75 

State The Bloekboord Jungle (MGM), 3rd wk.. . 

.125 

Strond Kentucky Rifle (SR) 90 

Warner Mod at the World (Filmakers) 70 

Jacksonville Drive-In 

Sues Competing Airer 

JACKSONVILLE—The Main Street Drive- 

In is asking total damages of $450,000 in a 

federal court suit against Tropical Drive-In 

Theatres, owner-operator of the two-screen 

Normandy Theatre. Ground.s are alleged 

agreements enforced by the opposition theatre 

to get films ahead of the plaintiff. 

Violations of portions of the Sherman and 

Clayton Acts are alleged to constitute actual 

damages of $150,000, and triple the amount as 

allowed under the law is asked. 

NEW ORLEANi 

"The local WOMPI chapter held its secocl 

bosses luncheon Wednesday (18) at tl 

Blue Room of the Hotel Roo.sevelt. The maJ 

speaker was Ben C. Pitts, a customer rd 

lations manager of a local retail departmejl 

store . . . F. T. McLendon Theatres of Unici 

Springs, Ala. will close its Frisco Theatre : 

Frisco City May 31 . . Darrell Georg: 

. 

new owner of the Fi'ontier Drive-In 

;j 

Sulphur has changed its name to the Ti 

Drive-In. 

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B. V. Sheffield Reopens 

POPLARVILLE, MISS.—B. V. Sheffield reopened 

his Sheff Theatre, following the completion 

of a modernization program, including 

the installation of Cinemascope with 

four-track stereophonic sound. 

Opens New Georgia Airer 

LA FAYETTE, GA.—Owners Dr. T. A. 

Cochran and John Paul Edge opened their 

new and modern Blue Sky Drive-In. The 

new airer has a 400-car capacity and 

featured a 100-foot widescreen. 

Named Head of C of C 

BOONEVILLE, ARK.— E. W. Savage, local 

theatre owner, has been elected president 

of the Chamber of Commerce. 

Charles Barrett has closed the Fol 

Shuquak, Miss. . . . Mitchell Cole has closi 

the Loma at Campti . . . E. V. Sheffield opem 

his Sheff, Poplarville, Miss. ... In buying ai 

booking were J. Elsley, the King, and 

Langlois, the Alamo and Star, New Road 

Weldon Limmroth, Giddens and Rester Th, 

atres; Max Connett, Connett Theatres; Hai 

Fayard, Meyers Theatre, Biloxi; Stanl: 

Taylor, Gloster Theatre, Gloster, and BJ 

Sendy, Patio, Jefferson Parish. 

Jasper Airer Improved 

JASPER, ALA.—Operators of the 78 Drivj 

In Theatre here have completed installatii; 

of Cinemascope and paving of all parkli 

areas and driveways. The theatre also h" 

a free playground featuring airplane, poi 

and train rides. 


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rtrons had a chance to see complete evelint; 

shows at the Carib. Miami and Capita 

theatres before the houses were cleared 

(f the telecast of the Marciano-Cockell fight. 

Sits were reserved at the first two houses 

b) not at the latter, which is a colored 

tjitre 

. . Florida State Theatres is heading 

. 

newspaper advertising columns with a 

n]i for the Southeastern Movie Festival . . 

Hph Puckhaber. manager of the downtown 

Frida, presented free copies of the Cardinal 

e ion of "Tlie Blackboard Jungle" to the 

fit 40 persons in line at the opening. 

'lack Herbert, manager of the Bard, foriJ-ly 

the Little River, booked a special stage 

t;U for a recent children's matinee, featurii 

Happy, the Magical Clown . . . Candy was 

i,' for the children who attended matinees 

£urday at the Ti-ail. Circle and Normandy 

t'atres . . . The cui-rent Variety fund camp'jn 

has been swelled to $65,000 already 

ejected, according to chairman Leo Adeeb. 

l! goal is $100,000. 

i'ST will open "Strategic Air Command" at 

t| Olympia. Beach and Gables on Wednesd' 

(25). just a few days after Armed Forces 

t^l . . . Mel Haber is telephoning for help 

i. ocating a genuine Sioux Indian he can use 

i. exploit "Chief Crazy Horse," which is 

Dying the Carib, Miami and Miracle. 

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Renamed Alabama Airer 

Reopens After Repairs 

ONEONTA, ALA.—The Sky-Vue Drive-In, 

formerly the Blount Drive-In, reopened here 

Friday (20). Closed since April 1. the theatre 

has undergone extensive repairs and remodeling. 

A 70-foot screen has been added and improved 

speakers installed. Reflecto paint has 

been used throughout the area to facilitate 

parking. 

Treatment of the driveways and parking 

areas to eliminate dust also has been carried 

out. 

ATLANTA 

Exhibitors on Filmrow this week were 

: 

L. 

Griffin. Grand Theatre, Reynolds, Ga.; 

Ebb Duncan and Hulett Jones, CaroU Amusement 

Co.. Carrollton. Ga.; J. E. Martin, 

Grand Theatre, Montezuma, Ga.; L. J. Duncan 

and Sidney Laird, Al-Dun Amusement 

Co.. West Point, Ga.; Nat Hancock, Roosevelt 

Theatre, Jefferson, Ga.; J. H. Thompson, 

Martin-Thompson Theatres, HawkinsvUle, 

Ga., and Jay Solomon, Independent Theatres, 

Chattanooga, Tenn. 

The Shell Theatre, Shellman, Ga., operated 

by Mrs. Lanier, has been closed permanently 

. 

Eunice McDaniel, United 

Artists exploiteer, was in Atlanta this week 

exploiting Mickey Spillane's "Kiss Me Deadly" 

York Theatre, Red Boiling Springs, 

AJa., has closed permanently . . . The Blount 

Drive-In, Oneonta. Ala., operated by the 

Neely circuit, has changed its name to the 

Skyvue Drive-In . 

Brown, operator 

of K&B Soda Fount on Filmrow for many 

years, died Thursday (12). 

The May board meeting of WOMPI was 

held at the YMCA Wednesday evening (11> 

after a dinner. Hostesses were Mrs. Nell 

Middleton and Mrs. Charline Jones. The 

table centerpiece, a May Pole in WOMPI 

colors, was won by Mrs. Stella Poulnot. Organizational 

meeting of a WOMPI club in 

Washington, D. C, wiU be Saturday (21). 

Going from Atlanta to help the Washington 

girls will be Johnnie Barnes, national extension 

committee; Edythe Bryant, Atlanta 

extension committee, and Laura Kenny, national 

secretary. 

Naples House Has CS 

NAPLES, FLA.—Paul Cooke, manager of 

the Tamiami Theatre, has announced that 

on May 1 the theatre started showing Cinemascope 

pictures. New lenses and screen 

have been installed, and a number of Cinema- 

Scope pictures are scheduled for May. 

Mrs. Sudekum Settles 

NASHVILLE—A federal gift tax claim 

against Mrs. Nettie Elizabeth Sudekum, 

widow of Tony Sudekum, has been settled out 

of court for S84.307.50. Sudekum was foimder 

of Crescent Amusement Co. 

""] Installs CinemaScope 

BALDWIN, MISS—Claude Gentry, owner 

of the Ritz Theatre, has installed Cinema- 

Scope and new sound equipment. 

New Production Hub 

Started in Florida 

WINTKK PARK, FLA.—The heart of 

Florida will be the location of a new multimillion 

dollar motion pictui-e production 

center. Announcement followed a meeting of 

President Tom Casey and other executives 

of Shamrock Pictures and a delegation of 

Florida business leaders. 

Immediate production will begin on a 

feature, "Swamp Angel" tentatively slated 

for release later this year. National and 

worldwide distribution for the company's pictures 

through a major Hollywood film distributor 

grew out of a merger with Gordon 

Knox, producer, formerly with Warner Bros, 

and Walter Wanger Productions. 

Other feature pictures to be made in 

Florida by the new company are now in early 

production stages. Films will be shot exclusively 

in Florida locales, using Florida 

technicians and personnel. 

"Swamp Angel" is slated to go before the 

cameras in May, a large share of the picture 

to be filmed near Center Hill in Sumter 

County depicting a story of 1890 in the 

swamp and cattle country. 

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HART 

BEATS 

.By HARRY HART. 

Qtopped in La Grange. Ga., and visited with 

O. A. Cooper and Kelly Williams who 

manage the Lam situations there. Cooper 

manages the LaGrange Theatre and Williams 

the drive-in, which is undergoing a 

widening of the screen for Cinemascope. 

Both men reported business as slow. 

I. L. Shields, who manages the Victory 

Drive-In in Columbus, was busy wiping off 

the speakers with a rag to have them clean 

for patrons while he checked them over for 

sound. After he completed that necessity, 

we went to the attractive concession stand 

which Ls operated cafeteria style. He has 

candy in easy reach of the patrons right at 

the cash register. He says he finds it mighty 

effective. 

Ed Martin was leaving to attend a bank 

d. rectors meeting and C. L. Patrick was out 

of town. 

Phil Richardson was holding down the 

Macon Theatre in Tuskegee. Ala., while 

waiting for a new manager to take over the 

next day when he was to return to the home 

office In Union Springs, Ala. He expressed 

a desire for an equipment show in connection 

with the Tri-State convention. 

* * * 

Eddie Foster at the Montgomery Drive-In 

told me that good pictures did good business 

and poor ones did nothing. 

John Moffett told me he had air conditioned 

and remodeled the front of the 

Carver Theatre in Montgomery, making It 

very attractive. He also said he had opened 

his 400-car Ebony Drive-In, Montgomery, for 

colored patronage April 26. It sure is a beauty. 

He has several walk-in seats arranged very 

nicely and has a very pretty concession stand. 

The airer is being managed by Joe Meyer, 

who is in love with the situation. I predict 

that this is one Negro-patronage drive-in 

that will do business. 

Felix "Crazy" Lacy (thafs the way he advertises! 

who manages Wilby's Falrview 

Drive-In in Montgomery, has reduced prices 

to 25 cents per adult and makes a special 

of reducing concession prices on some item 

in his advertising dally. Felix says it is a 

test to see if television can be overcome in 

that area. He had been working on his flowers 

as the freeze had played havoc with his 

landscaping program. The concession stand 

was one of the neatest in the entire South. 

The airer played "Battle Cry" for seven days 

and on the seventh day admitted every seventh 

car free. 

At the Jet Drlve-In, Matt and Anthony 

Sixraci, who came to Alabama from North 

Carolina, said business was pretty good. They 

had the drive-in looking mighty nice. 

At the Rogers Theatre, a grind house uptown, 

I missed Foreman Rogers who used to 

operate It and is now owner of Greenwood 

cemetery. LeRoy Rollins is handling the house 

now and doing his own projecting. The house 

demands action pictures as the patrons don't 

want anything else. He asks: "How can we 

supply them when we have to have a double 

bill every day seven days a week and use up 

nine to twelve pictures a week and that 

many are not being made?" 

At the Paramount Theatre Cecil Brown 

was playing "The Prodigal." He had a terrific 

campaign on it. Three starlets rode in 

a float all over town and appeared on TV 

and radio for the opening of the picture. 

Cecil said the railroad strike had hurt business. 

Bill Wolfson, who is city manager for 

Wilby service, had to return to Dallas for 

another eye operation in hopes that he would 

have a Cinemascope view when he returns. 

At the Empire, Bickey Covey, wha manages 

the situation, showed me the reseated house 

w.th a staggered system of seating which is 

very nice. The new Heywood-Wakefield 

chairs looked mighty attractive and comfortable. 

Bickey said there was no use to 

pretend that business was good as it was not. 

The second TV station which opened recently 

in Montgomery had really hurt attendance, 

he said. 

At Goodwater, Ala., I found Frank Nail and 

John Turner, who operate the Ei'is Theatre 

there, putting their vending machines in 

shape for the evening. The theatre was as 

clean as a pin and this Is one theatre without 

an odor as it is kept spotless. 

At Ashland, Ala., Ernest Ingram was in 

Atlanta booking, but the theatre was sparkling. 

At Lineville, Ala., I found his son Ernest 

A. Ingram had put in a new screen and had 

changed his air system around entirely to 

make it more effective. 

Court Enjoins Benny 

In Parody on 'Gaslight' 

From Western Edition 

HOLLYWOOD—Loew's, Inc.. has won a suit 

against comedian Jack Benny and the Columbia 

Broadcasting System, who have been permanently 

enjoined from presenting on video 

a satire of MGM's "Gaslight," Federal district 

court, in a precedential decision, ruled 

that such parodying on TV Is for "commercial 

gain in a competing entertainment field." 

Benny and Barbara Stanwyck star in telefilm 

footage titled "Autolight," a satire on 

the MGM feature, which topllned Charles 

Boyer and Ingrid Bergman and was released 

in 1942. 

Benny parodied the film several years ago 

on his radio program with the studio's consent. 

As concents TV, however, the court 

ruled that mediuni is in "active competition" 

with motion pictures. Loew's had asked no 

financial judgment but charged infringement 

and misappropriation of its property. 

A similar action is pending by Colimibia 

Pictures against Sid Caesar and the Natx>nal 

Broadcasting Co., seekiiig an injunction 

against Caesar's parody of "From Here to 

Eternity." Titled "From Here to Obscurity," 

it 

was presented over NBC-TV two years ago. 

Buys Pass Christian, Miss., Airer 

PASS CHRISTIAN. MISS.—Luther and 

Euel Woodfleld. father and son of Pine 

Bluff, Ark., purchased the Moonlight Drive- 

In here from Mr. and Mrs. Millet. 

XOFFICE :: May 21, 1955 55

. . . Karl 

. . Josephine 

. . Jean 

. . 

. . 

. . 

' 

I 

: 

CHARLOTTE 

IJobert Long, former Warner Bros, auditor 

and now with Buena Vista, reports he is 

getting on well after his recent operation 

Eugene Hargett, UA booker, married 

Virginia Lee Todd Saturday (14) . . . Meiselman 

Theatres has taken over the Danca Theatre 

at Wallace, formerly owned by Gary 

Caudell . Donnelly, UA cashier 

spent a weekend at Hickory, visiting relatives. 

Local F 33 held its regular semi-monthly 

meeting in the Hotel Charlotte, with 

Nancy Wilson, president, presiding over the 

session. Business agent Thelma Gulp in- 

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troduced, as new members, Helen H. Mullis, 

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Jim Gouey, 20th-Pox booker, is 

Welch . . . 

the proud owner of a clock collection . . . 

Jimmy Hight of the Midway, Lancaster, and 

J. K. Witley, Towel Theatres, Kannapolis, 

were visitors to Screen Guild. Also in was 

Bert Ram of the Patricia, Aiken. 

. 

. 

Mary Ellen Eury, U-I contract clerk, is on 

a leave of absence Ganady is no 

Mary Geel of 

longer with Columbia . . . 

National Screen Service is on vacation 

. . . Rufus 

. 

. 

Thomas G. Helms of Paramount is also 

Others on vacation include 

vacationing . . . 

Betty Bartlam and Mary Klouse, both of 

Warner Bros. . . Charles Mincey, 20th-Fox 

. 

head booker, is on his vacation 

Stewart, booker with U-I, has resigned 

Lillian W. Stampler has left Republic 

Louis F. Turner is now on leave of absence 

from 20th-Fox . . . Margaret Wisdom, Paramount 

clerk, is on vacation . . . Charles Dean 

Lynch, former booker, is now a student salesman 

with RKO. 

. . . Dave 

. . . Jack 

Alice S. Byram, assistant cashier at U-I, is 

on the sick list . . . Shirley Jean Bell, U-I 

cashier clerk, is on vacation 

. . Betty 

Williams, IFE salesman, was in . 

Patterson, IFE office manager, is in Memorial 

Hospital for a minor operation 

Fuller, manager of the Ritz Theatre, Columbia, 

was a recent visitor. 

Barbara Rush and Audie Murphy will star 

in U-I's "World in My Corner." 

ANTA TV Bungled, 

Avers Rosenfield 

DALLAS—Consensus here is that eve-. 

thing was lost and nothing gained by ,e 

closed-circuit theatrical television broadest 

of the ANTA Album on March 28, accordg 

to John Rosenfield's recent column in e 

Dallas News. 

"Conceived to raise funds for the Ami'i. 

can National Theatre and Academy 

CARE, it must have cost them instead," ji 

said. 

The program was not even booked as] 

attraction in the theatre-television hoiii 

such as the Tower. "Instead, they rented u 

four- walls' and aimed to take all," Roej. 

field wrote. "There was nothing ethiclj 

wrong with this. The trouble was, it dlill 

work. For the Tower's 1,200 seats there v'fi 

about 250 paid admissions." 

The columnist continued that this sad S 

perience was not limited to Dallas, 1^ 

ANTA, CARE and the rest of Broadway n 

deploring the fact that the project has til 

set back not months but years. 

Speaking of the Dallas situation, Ros'i 

1 

field said that neither Interstate nor its 61 

cient publicity-exploitation machinery 

desired by ANTA-GARE, that all informapi 

was dealt out of a New York office, b« 

sparsely to be of much use. 

"It arrived by mail with no heed of dti 

lines," said Rosenfield. "This newspJei 

wound up by digging out photographs ofp 

performers from its own files." 

1 

The ANTA Album could have beeil 

promising beginning, in the opinion of 

columnist, who called it a "string of snipib 

from New York hits presenting a wide a 

riety of important name entertainis. 

ANTA has been offering it for years at soie 

thing like $100 a seat to raise revenuesia 

services to the theatres of the country. 

He declared that the Interstate organation 

has been known to sell bigger benilb 

with fewer stars and higher prices, 

moral of the story is, the New York friu 

of mind, that is, its confidence in the ft 

bracing wisdom of its own cerebratioij 

triple-plied." 

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MONTGOMERY, ALA.—Recent theatran 

corporations filed with the secretary of sit 

include the Avon Art Theatre, Inc., Birmis 

ham, $2,000, and Cullman Amusements, i( 

Cullman. Ala. $125,000. i 

Anniversary Observed 

PLORALA. ALA.—Celebrating its £)tl 

anniversary, the Martin Tlieatre awardi 

' 

week's pass to the first person correctly njn 

ing the house's opening attraction on 

6. 1949. 

Special Children's Bonus 

PRATTVILLE, ALA.—The Lyi'ic Thetl 

has a "summer vacation special" in opfa 

tion each Tuesday during May. One f< 

admission for a child under 12 is being g'W 

with each adult's ticket purchased. 

Wallace Ford, veteran character actor/ 

play a role in Columbia's "Marshal of V^ 

cine Bend." 

5G BOXOFFICE May 21 35i

f 

I 

i 'lown 

j 

San 

I : ults 

' 

)nt 

er 

larvey Leuthstrom 

letires at American 

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.— Harvey Leuthlom 

recently retired as southwestern 

visional manager for American Seating Co.. 

ter 56 years of a.s.sociation with the f.rm. 

e has agreed, however, to be available as 

consultant and will retain his office in 

,e Dallas branch. 

Succeeding Leuthstrom is William S, 

'.ewart, who has been assistant division 

janager since March 1953. He has been 

ith the company since October 1950 when 

; started as a salesman in the San Franciscr^ 

•anch. Later he worked for about a yea; 

office manager in the Syracuse branch. 

j. 

^Commenting on Leuthstrom's retirement, 

'merican Seating said: "He has been an out- 

'anding example of a faithful and loyal 

.nploye. This loyalty has been and will 

'iiitinue to be appreciated by his associates 

[id the management of the company." 

Leuthstrom was born in Pleasanton, Kas.. 

'id attended school in Chicago. Before 

lining American Seating in 1899, he held 

isitions with Swift and Co., Glucose Sugar 

efining Co., and the St. Louis Car Co., all 

Chicago. 

Stewart's previous experience with other 

impanies included positions at Rehance 

anufacturing Co., and Franz Stationery 

D., of Chicago. In the Navy for four years 

arting in January 1942, he attained the 

'.nk of Lt. Commander. After the war, he 

:ined the Winchester Repeating Arms Co., 

Francisco. He was educated at Northestern 

University. 

!S Demand Sustained, 

Reports Bausch & Lomb 

Dm Eostern Edition 

BUFFALO—Carl S. Hallauer, president of 

iachester's Bausch & Lomb, says continuing 

jrge demand by motion picture theatres for 

jinemaScope equipment sustained first quarr 

sales close to those of a year ago and 

prmitted a small increase in net profit. 

allauer recently returned from Hollywood 

.th 

an Oscar awarded Bausch & Lomb for 

li development in Cinemascope lenses. 

{allauer says that "with the technical im- 

I'ovements we have been able to make for 

re studios in camera lens, the rapid 

rides by cinemascope could continue inbfinitely." 

ifew Palace Manager 

PLANO, TEX.—C. E. Barnes, experienced 

eatreman from Dallas, has taken over 

;inagement of the Palace Theatre in Piano. 

;; has announced that there will be three 

[langes of local film fare each week and 

i'at i 

Wednesday and Thursday nights will be 

as "Big Bargain Nights," with two 

heatre Front Demolished 

I 'ROANOKE, TEX.—The Queen Theatre's 

was demolished and roofs of adjoining 

ildings were damaged in a recent cyclonic 

ndstorm estimated by some to have taken 

toll of a quarter million dollars here. The 

leen is in the area worst hit. 

TOPPER FOR VEEPEE—John 

: 

admitted for the price of one and chilt 

en under 12 admitted free. The new mant 

also said that he will make extensive 

1 '^provements soon, including widescreen. 

Callahan, 

left, city manager for Rowley 

United's Oak Cliff theatres, Dallas, presents 

a new hat to C. V. Jones, vice-president 

and general manager, at the beginning 

of the circuit's Buck Jones testimonial 

week and "May Is Movie Month 

for Good Times Jubilee" promotion. 

Showman's Mother, 80. 

Takes First Plane Ride 

WACO, TEX.—Mrs. M. M. Fadal, 80, mother 

of Eddie Fadal. Texas Theatre, took her 

first plane ride when she left for San Francisco 

last week. She doesn't speak English, 

never was in an aii'plane before. 

But her grandson 'Victor Habeeb is going 

to be married May 28 in San Fi-ancisco, and 

all of a sudden Mi-s. Fadal decided she wanted 

to fly out there. 

"But mama!" chorused her sons, all in 

Arabic, the only language Mrs. Fadal understands. 

A lot of good it did them. Eddie 

Fadal drove her to Dallas and put her on an 

American Airlines plane. 

"My mother," he explained to the stewardess, 

"can't speak English and never rode in 

an airplane before. She is going to Frisco. 

Take good care of her, will you, please." 

The stewai-dess said sm-e, and what language 

did the mother speak. 

"Arabic," said Eddie. 

A blonde lady a few seats back rose up. 

"I speak Arabic," she said. "I married a 

Syrian. I'll look after her, too." 

Chorus from the passengers who filled the 

plane, "We'll help her." 

So Mi-s. Fadal took off into the wild blue 

yonder with an Ai'abic interpreter and no 

end of new friends. She arrived in San 

Francisco foui- hours later 

"Now," says son Louis, "everything is all 

right until she starts back." 

Mrs. Fadal was born in Beh-ut, married at 

15, and came to the United States when she 

was 16. She has seven sons and two daughters. 

Bonham House Has New Sound 

BONHAM, TEX.—A new sound system has 

been installed in the American Theatre, Manager 

Bob Euler has announced, to present 

the new stereophonic and high-fidelity recordings. 

BUFFALO 

3409 Oak Lawn, Room 107 

ÔlSNG 

Hails Youth Discount 

As Great Step Ahead 

DALLAS, TEX.—Institution by Interstate 

Ti.eatres of the 'Movie D.scount Card" for 

jcuns customers between the ages of 12 and 

n year.s has been called by Columnist John 

Ro.-enfie:d "the first radical change in Texas 

mot on picture economy since the late 1920s." 

In a recent column in the Dallas News, 

Ro.senfield said, "It is not poor business that 

has inspii-ed Interstate to adopt the plan. 

The motion picture business never has been 

better nor have the pictures sold themselves 

more readily. So if the boxoffice was 'hurting,' 

the time for the discount card would 

have been 1952 and 1953, not 1955." 

Commenting that apparently much thought 

had gone into the plan on all levels, Rosenfield 

pointed out that kids have slender 

allowances, no matter how wealthy or how 

poor the parents; that they can't go to as 

many pictures as they want or as often, and 

that this is an opportunity to get at least 

a couple of movies for the price of one. 

"It should breed more regular picturegoing," 

according to Rosenfield, "an occupation 

that is, on the whole, salubrious, nondeliquent, 

genteel and uncorrupting. Every 

now and then it can be inspirational and 

educational." 

Rosenfield called attention to the fact that 

the motion picture houses will have to sustain 

the program over a period sufficiently long 

to ingrain it in the habits of the lucky people 

who live in Texas. 

"The odds are 99 to 1 that it will work 

.slightly sensationally," he declared. 

NFB Revenues During 1954 

Reach $150,245 Total 

MONTREAL—The National Film Board in 

1954 received revenues totaling $150,245 from 

the screening of its product in Canada and 

16 other countries. 

Revenues from commercial 35mm films 

amounted to $33,516, 16mm produced $116,729. 

Countries in which films were distributed 

were South Africa, the United Kingdom, 

Brazil, Belgium, Holland. United States, Portugal, 

Sweden, Prance, Denmark, New Zealand, 

Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Australia 

and Japan. 

Theatre Robbed of $433 

FORT WORTH. TEX.—The Varsity Theatre 

was robbed of $433 recently by thieves 

who failed to budge the safe in a variety 

store next door. The burglars had entered 

the theatre by chopping a hole in the roof. 

They knocked a knob off the theatre safe 

to get the money and also took a 3B-caliber 

pistol from the theatre. 

Slates Children's Shows 

UVALDE, TEX.—Special shows for children 

will be a feature at the El Lasso Theatre 

again this summer as they were last year. 

Manager Gene Haubner says that the shows 

have been especially recommended for children 

and that some of them are from the 

classics. Special prices will be in effect. 

EQUIPMENT 

BUFFALO ENGINEERING CO., INC. Dallas. Texas 

'XOFFICE :: May 21, 1955 sw 57

. . . The 

. . Fred 

j 

I 

As a screen game, 

HOLLYWOOD takes fop 

honors. As a box-office attraction, 

it is without equoL It has 

been a favorite with theatre goers for 

over 15 years. Write today for complete details. 

Be sure to give seating or car capacity. 

HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO. 

•31 South Wabolh Avcnu* • Chicago 5, llllnoh 

CLASSIFIED ADS—EASY TO USE 

HOUSTON 

Julius Gordon, president of Jefferson Amusement 

Co. and treasui'er of National Allied, 

was the Allied goodwill ambassador at the 

Cannes Film Festival. 

He also will attend the 

regular meeting of 

Union Internationale 

de I'Exploitation Cinenatcgraphique 

in Paris 

and confer with officials 

of the Cinematograph 

E:xhibitors 

Ass'n in London. As 

Allied's official representative 

at the three 

functions, he will report 

directly to the 

board upon his return Julius Gordon 

Variety Club here was singled out at 

the International convention in Los Angeles 

for making special contributions to the decline 

in juvenile delinquency . Cannata, 

Horowitz Theatres, is home from the 

hospital, but still requires rest and quiet. 

Marty Marks and Sam Tanner of the Jefferson 

circuit, Beaumont, were recent visitors 

at the King Drive-In. Marks is supervisor of 

the confectionery department and Tanner 

is assistant director of theatres . . . The King 

carried the first closed circuit drive-in 

telecast in Texas, believes Manager Karl 

Stroud, when it showed the championship 

fight Monday (16) ... "The Blackboard 

Jungle" is being held over at Loew's for a 

third week, reports Manager Homer Mc- 

Callum ... "A Man Called Peter" is staying 

a second week at the Majestic, and "Gate of 

Hell" a second week at River Oaks, according 

to Johnny Smith, manager. 

. . . Village Theatre 

The Oleander Drive-In at Galveston raised 

its price from 50 to 75 cents for the showing 

of "Garden of Eden" 

cashier Janie Morris is a candidate for cheerleader 

at the University of Houston . . . 

Texas Gulf Ghost Convention was the head- 

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GET COOLING 

CHECKED NOW! 

Blowers 

Motors 

Pumps 

Air-Washers 

V-Belts 

Filters 

Mats 

Tubing, etc 

HERBER THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO. 

"Fair Treatment and Adequate Service for 25 Years" 

408 S. HARWOOD DALLAS 1, TEXAS 

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS^ 

ing in an ad, plugging the Ti-ail Drive-In 

showing of "Black Friday," "Mummy 

Ghost" and "Ape Man." Included in a lot i 

other spooky talk was the suggestion to eii 

a spookburger, according to owner Jack Pat 

Eddie Jacobson, Horowitz Theatres, a deac 

ringer for Groucho Marx, was offered $! 

by a prominent automobile dealer to drive 

diffei-ent make car from what he sells in 

commercial TV film being made, get out 

it and announce that he wants to trade it ( 

the dealer's make car. Eddie refused. He 

a pei-sonal friend of the dealer of car one. 

The Uptown Theatre has inaugurated a nei 

two-for-one policy for adults. Cards, wi 

five coupons attached, ai-e being distribute 

which admit two for one paid admissic 

Identification cards also are being given o 

to teenagers which permit them to see tli 

show for only 35 cents. 

Shirley Daniels of the new Timberland Th 

atre at Diboll has just installed a new RC 

silver screen and Cinemascope equipmei 

supplied by Southwestern Theatre Equipme 

Tom Vincent of Southwestern r 

Co. . . . 

The Port Lava, 

turned from Diboll . . . 

Drive-In at Port Lavaca is being convert^ 

into a twin screen by owner J. G. Long. 

Jack Kaufmann Dead 

At 72, Early Showman 

NEW BRAUNFELS, TEX.—Jack Kaimann, 

veteran theatre operator, died in t; 

New Braunfels Hospital recently at the d; 

of 72. He was well known throughout Conl 

county for his connection with the old Seekij 

Opera House which burned 15 years ago. 

Kaufmann operated the Seekatz Theae 

until 1935. His son recalls that for years ft 

opera house held the biggest New Year's l2 

parties staged here, theatre seats being i- 

moved to provide dancing space. 

Kaufmann, who was known only as "Jac" 

came to New Braunfels in 1915 as a salesma 

for automatic pilots for gas stoves. He learrJ 

to like the town so well that he bought tjs 

old Martin Theatre, which was at the presrt 

site of the Pena Theatre. In 1917 he bouf't 

the old opera house. 

Co-Sponsor TV Show 

BLACKWELL, OKLA.—Three drive-i|, 

the Rivoli, Palace and the Pioneer, recen!/ 

started a Hollywood Pi'eview program ot 

KWTV, channel 9, Manager Gus Hoensche,t 

has announced. Closing format of the piigram 

will feature the masthead of the loA 

newspaper, with a reminder to viewers 3 

check their Journal as a constant source 'f 

motion picture information. The progrii 

gives glimpses of coming Hollywood |- 

tractions. 

New Seats for Aztec 

SAN ANTONIO — Manager Norni|i 

Schwartz of the Aztec Theatre has announce 

that new seats are being installed at nis't 

after the house is closed. An all-purp* 

screen, which will be 16 feet wider than le 

present one, and a new stage curtain aa 

will be put in. 

58 

BOXOFFICE May 21, 1:5

life Didn't Believe It Either! i Biggest 

Until C'X.Ui/uta^ Sent l/(l ^keU GkeJu ! 

Yet! 

TASCOSA DRIVE-IN - AMARILLO, TEXAS 

(BLUE DUVAL) 

fio 

RED RAIDER DRIVE-IN - LUBBOCK 

(J. B. BEESON) 

COWTOWN DRIVE-IN - FORT WORTH 

(BILL CORBELL) 

TWIN-PALMS DRIVE-IN - CORPUS CHRISTI 

(JOHNNY BLOCKER) 

LEON THEATRES - DALLAS 

(IRVING RUST) 

SOTTA NOTE DUE? 

Tired of Sixty Percenters 

and Fifty Percent for 

Mediocre Grossers? 

Then satisfy yourself by contacting one 

>f the above cross section of Texas 

ixhibitors who got their sack full with 

his mighty pair, and 

Write - Wire or Call 

I1AROLD SCHWARZ 

TOWER PICTURES 

ilO So. Harwood St. 

Dallas, Texas 

RA-7736

. . Most 

; 

OKLAHOMA CITY 

\xrhen the Variety Tent 22 auxiliary held its 

first evening social. Mrs. Ed L. Thorne, 

board member, arranged a program of music 

featuring Mi-s. Eddie Lane, pianist, and 

Tommy Allen, vocalist. There was a buffet 

dnuier and style show in the Biltmore Hotel. 

The fashions were from Strum's and the 

models were members of the auxiliai-y . . 

. 

Mrs. Thorne is the wife of the local manager 

for Cooper Foundation Theatres. Mrs. Lane 

is an auxiliary member and Allen is a Variety 

The auxiliary will not meet 

bai-ker . . . again until September 14, when a registration 

tea will be held in the home of Mrs. Morris 

Loewenstein, vice-president and wife of the 

Majestic Theatre owner. 

Had several postcards from Variety folks attending 

the organization's international convention 

on the 'West Coast. Morris Loewenstein's 

card from Las Vegas said Mrs. Herman 

Hunt flew back home to Cincinnati to preside 

over the Variety auxiliary luncheon on 

May 13, and that she would rejoin Hunt and 

the Loewensteins in Frisco for their boat 

trip to Hawaii. They were set to sail Monday 

(16) ... Cityans at the convention proudly 

report a former Tent 22 chaplain. Rabbi 

Israel Chodos, was one of the speakers at 

the Humanitarian banquet. Chodos resigned 

as chaplain a few months ago when he 

moved west . of the Cityans swung 

home by way of gay Las Vegas where they 

stayed on the Variety merry-go-round a few 

days more before heading theii' autos homeward. 

The Junior League's annual horse show in 

the stockyards coliseum got under way 

Wednesday (18), with Davy Crockett, in the 

person of Fess Parker of Hollywood, as headline 

attraction. Parker, star of Disney's new 

Davy Crockett featui-e-length film, was 

slated to appear at Saturday's (21) matinee 

and evening performances, closing day of the 

big yearly social event. Jan Garber's music 

was a daily featm-e. Funds raised go to build 

a speech and hearing clinic. 

The Oklahoma Tax Commission reports a 

2.66 per cent decrease in its sales tax collections 

from theatres for March, compared 

with March 1954. However, other amusements 

and athletic events showed a 2.47 per 

cent increase on the same comparative basis. 

The Harber, a Cooper Foundation theatre, 

is closing May 23, 24 for a new wall-to-wall 

seamless screen to be installed. "Strategic 

Air Comand" will be featured on the new 

screen, claimed to give the largest picture 

in town, when it reopens May 25. We hear it 

will be necessary to knock out and move a 

couple of walls in the theatre to provide room 

for the screen. It is reportedly patterned 

after the world's largest screen recently Installed 

in New York's Paramount. A downtown 

parade of four Air Force bands ai 

some high school bands will be part of t 

reopening festivities, along with a stage cer 

mony dmung which some An- Force enliste 

will be sworn into Uncle Sam's service. 

George Pomeroy, now of Amarillo, who r 

cently won a $4,000 federal suit here, has fili 

another suit in federal court for $30,000 fro 

eight different insurance companies. T 

suit resulted from a fire that destroyed tj 

local Frontier Theatre in May 1954. Pomerc 

longtime city theatreman, won $4,000 frc 

one insurance firm as a result of the sar 

fire in a judgment handed down a f- 

weeks ago. 

Hollywood movieinen representing Inte 

national Variety Clubs photogi-aphed t: 

Oklahoma City Variety Club Health Cent 

a few days ago. The center here, which 

a Tent 22 project, was the first of a numlof 

Variety-sponsored projects to be filml 

for a motion picture on Variety \ 

Tent 22 furnishes the building for the heali 

center, home of the county health associati*. 

Manager Buys Chickens 

WHARTON, TEX.—Ray Wilson, owner 

manager of the Utopia Drive-In, was k 

successful bidder at the annual fryer shjr 

held here recently. The Utopia paid FFA t? 

• 

Delbert Karasek $310.50 for " • his " 

championship chickens. 

Alex North will write the musical score r 

United Artists' "The Town Tamer." 

Fastest Switch In Soft Drink History 

63% more theatres now vending Pepsi than one year ago. 

And here's why Pepsi is the right choice for your theatre. 

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profits from Pepsi's extra drinks—128 drinks per 

gallon, compared with 115 for the nearest comparable 

cola. 

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Write for full details. We'll be around to discuss 

this important subject with you. 

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Theatre Equipment Supplies & Service 

Phone PR-3191 • 2019 Jackson Street Dallas, Texas 

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706 West Grand Avenue 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

E

. . The 

. . August 

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. . The 

SAN ANTONIO 

John G. Mohme, president of Clasa-Mohme, 

* Los Angeles, visited the local office en 

route to Mexico City Benitez, 

. 

Weslaco, called on the Mexican film exchanges 

. Majestic featured "Conquest 

of Space" at its Friday the 13th Jinx midnighter. 

Large newspaper ads heralded the coming 

of "The Prodigal" to the Majestic . . . George 

Bannon. AA exploiteer, Dallas, was a recent 

visitor at the Interstate city office . . . Walter 

R. Tinney returned to the booth of the Texas 

following a stay in the hospital for a heart 

condition . William Walliser, 80, 

former managing editor of the San Antonio 

Evening News, died in a Kerrville hospital. 

Burial was here with several well-known 

theatrical people acting as honorary pallbearers. 

Among them were Jack Chalman, 

Jean Wildenstein and Clarence H. Moss of 

San Antonio, and Robert J. O'Donnell, Raymond 

B. Willie and Frank Starz of Dallas. 

George Kaczraar billed a double header 

for his Friday 13th mid-nighter at the Emmm 

W ASTOR OFFICE IN EVERV FllM_Ct^MER] 

pire, "Miss Body Beautiful" and "Violated," 

and did outstanding business . Federation 

of Catholic Parent-Teacher Clubs is 

sponsoring a week's run of the Italian made 

film, "The Immortal City" at the Josephine. 

Clergymen and teachers are being admitted 

free . . . Don Mahoney, Texas TV and western 

film star, is making a series of appearances 

at several Handy-Andy stores. He will hold 

a talent show here the latter part of the 

m.onth. The winner of the contest will get a 

five-day vacation for two at the Mayan ranch 

in Bandera for free. 

Maxine Cooper and Elsyie Novy, who are 

in the cast of "Kiss Me Deadly," which 

opens at the Aztec May 26, were in town a 

v;eek ahead of the showing to plug the picture 

. . . Police here are holding three juveniles 

who were part of a band which wrecked 

the Progresso Teatro, west side house. Felipe 

Garza, manager, estimated the damage at 

more than $200. Garza, surprised the vandals 

in the projection room before the theatre 

opened for the day. They had jammed the 

machines, opened reel cans, and scattered 

film and admission tickets throughout the 

building. A $20 penny candy machine was 

missing from the building. 

Gordon B. Dunlap, manager of Clasa- 

Mohme here, spent ten days in Los Angeles 

visiting the home office and also took in 

the Variety convention . . . Visiting the local 

exchanges were Benjamin Garcia, La Gloria; 

Francisco Trevino, the Ideal, Pearsall, and 

Mateo Vela, the Iris, Alice, Tex. 

Don Drive-In Starts 

Improvement Program 

PORT ARTHUR, TEX.—Improved of. 

ations at the Don Drive-In include a bea i- 

fication program and an attempt to m:e 

patrons comfortable, as well as motion picl-e 

schedules to please fans with varying tass 

The Don is aggressively combatting ir^. 

quitoes by draining the nearby ponds itj 

pools of water where they breed. A iv.- 

fogging machine to combat them has bn 

purchased, and the drive-in is sprayed 3- 

quently each night. 

The Don is trying to duplicate one of Irt 

Arthur's outstanding attractions by planig 

rows of oleanders along the drive from le 

highway to the theatre proper, in the marer 

of the line of oleanders along the :jp 

channel seawall. The snack bar was polis^d 

recently and grass was planted on the pyground. 

Another feature of the Don is .ie 

twin screen where patrons may see the m 

of their choice. 

Improve El Campo Airei 

EL CAMPO, TEX.—Remodeling of he 

snack bar and screen tower were staed 

recently at the Rice Drive-In. accordinito 

Ralph Langston, new manager. Langsto a 

veteran of 15 years in the theatre busiiss, 

said the entire area will be paved and th a 

playground will be installed, complete th 

swings, slides, see-saws and a mechai;al 

merry-go-round. A colossal fireworks disay 

and free ice cream for the kiddies, courte; of 

the Foremost Dairy, were planned for he 

opening. 


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SOUTHWESTERN THEATRE EQUIPMENT CO. 

1622 Austin Street 

Houston 3, Texos 

SOUTHWESTERN THEATRE EQUIPIVIENT CO. 

2010 Jackson Street 

Dollos 1, Texos 

OKLAHOIWA THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

628 W. Grand Avenue 

Oklahoma City 2, Oklahoma 

62 BOXOFFICE May 21,951 .

; Drewry, 

I 

lASTERN OKLAHOMA 

I" 

By ART LaMAN 

riiiR the last week we've had lots of nice 

around Oklahoma—also the rah-rah 

boys have been staging panty raids. 

lieatres have made a buck; others 

done so well. That's last week in 

general manager of Down- 

1 heatres has announced a price reai..on 

for teenies— 12 to 17 year olds—durii'the 

summer months. The young folks fill 

ol an application at any of the four Downtun 

theatres and pay a dollar for a discount 

i which entitles them to a saving of as 

1 as 50 per cent on some admissions. 

he Eddie Joneses of the Sand Springs 

CVe-In had a great big thrill May 9 when 

tii talked to their son who is in service in 

Hvaii. Cpl. N. W. Jones contacted his 

p ;nts by short wave, with a relay from 

Cifornia. He also talked to his wife and 

sii hello to his young baby whom he has 

nj seen. The Jones family Ls now planning 

limt the short wave into reverse and conti- 

their son Memorial Day. 

tene Welsh keeps right at 'em with new 

Slits. This time it was a full page ad all 

li):olor in the Sunday edition of the Tulsa 

Id on 'The FTodigal," which opened at 

Delman Tuesday (17 1. 

he all-color Hallmark production, "Karaa," 

opened Wednesday (18) at four of 

Tulsa video theatres, the Tulsa and 

le urive-ins. the Riverside, Hi-Way 66 and 

Skyline. 

ad a visit with Sam Brunk who now is 

n king with Disney Pictures. Sam informs 

u that brother Henry opened under the 

c vas of Brunk's Comedians May 11 at Boise 

C-, Okla., and will cover the territory where 

Hnk's Comedians has become a summer 

h sehold name. The 1955 show will carry 

l.ieople, have a new play for every night 

a special concerts on Saturday night. I 

h e been with a number of these shows in 

tl 

past and really envy those lucky troupers. 

Maybe we'll get a chance to visit with Hark 

before the season closes. 

The Tulsa Ritz Theatre rolled out the red 

carpet last week for Yvonne De Carlo, who 

was on hand for personal appearances to 

open her new picture, "Shotgun." She owns 

a fine home in Coldwater Canyon, has a 

reported income of just $200,000 a year. Motion 

pictures have taught her to do a Salome 

dance, shoot a pistol, rope calves and ride 

horses. She can talk back in French, Spani.sh 

or Italian and owns eight high bred dogs. 

And she has had four or more mink coats. 

Our weekly junket took us into Kansas and 

Missouri towns during the last week, and we 

are more and more convinced that show 

business is in some sort of upheaval in a 

great many spots. Some theatres are using a 

lot of gimmicks and are getting business: iii 

fact, most theatremen who have tried gimmicks 

still continue to do business—and still 

use some sort of come-on to keep promoting 

more busine.ss. Of course, we also have the 

high type theatre owners who won't stoop 

to the use of gimmicks—except widescreens, 

trick sound, and the like. And we hear plenty 

of these fellows crying their little hearts out 

about business being just too-too awful. Maybe 

a dish giveaway, a contest, tieups, or 

some other gimmick would dry those bad 

business tears. 

Now here's one we ran into Saturday (14) 

at Louis Stein's Twilite Drive-In just south 

of Baxter Springs, Kas. A Giant Dusk-to- 

Dawn Moviethon. Here's the breakdown, five 

big features, four cartoons, "Bamboo Prison," 

7:45 p.m.: "Women's Pi'ison," 9:40 p.m.: "Jennifer," 

11:18 p.m. Free coffee, 12:30 a.m.: 

"Fighting Lawmen," 12:49 a.m., "Meet the 

Monster," 2:12 a.m. And you could go home 

at 3:32 a.m. We can't say how the entire 

night worked out but can say that the place 

was jammed packed at 10:00 p.m. Now these 

special gimmicks and stunts pull some extra 

folks, create a lot of talk and build a few 

new theatregoers—and that is what theatres 

most certainly need. 

last year 172 million hot dogs were 

sold in Drive-In Theatres! There's a 

lot of profit in the . . . 

Big profit with the low priced 

J. J. CONNALLY 

ROLL-A-GRILL 

• It doesn't puncture the dog! It 

rolls it until it's cooked just right 

with all the savory juices where 

they belong -INSIDE THE DOG! 

• It cooks them fast! 

21 dogs every 

three minutes! Just as fast as 

your people con handle them! 

h pcf Cpfh till 

'Company is Known by 

t Products It Keeps! 

F QUALITY concession 

s plies . . . call us! 

'ASSOCIATED 

PCORN DISTRIBUTORS, Ik. 

ILL 

YOUR THEATRE PRIVATELY 

years ejtperience inclucWng extiibition, 

tribution. 11th year exclusive theatre 

keraje. No "net" listings, no "advance 

" Licensed and bonded in many 

les. Hundreds satisfied clients. Ask 

body in show business, or your bank, 

oest coverage in U. S. 100% confitial. 

THUR LEAK Theatre Specialists 

15 Caruth Blvd. Dallas 25, Tex. 

WRITE IN CONFIDENCE. NO OBLIGATI 

All over this writer hears about what toll- 

TV is going to do to all theatre business, if 

and when it does happen. It's also going to 

play the devil with a lot of telephone bills. 

Four Drive-Ins Sponsor 

TV 'Hollywood Preview' 

STILLWATER, OKLA.—The Leachman, 

Aggie. Campus, Crest and Moonlite Drive-Ins 

have begun co-sponsorship of a new television 

program, Hollywood Pi'eview, to be seen over 

KWTV, Channel 9. They are using an exact 

reproduction of the masthead of the Stillwater 

News-Press to emphasize the dependability 

of the hometown newspaper as a 

constant source of local film information. 

The masthead appears in the closing format 

of the show as a reminder to viewers to 

check the newspaper for announcements of 

current attractions at Stillwater theatres. 

Hollywood Preview is a full half-hour show 

which gives an exclusive advance peek at 

episodes from some of the biggest Hollywood 

productions. 

• It 

cooks them slow — when you 

want them cooked slow. When 

you want to cook ahead, the 

Roll-a-grill will keep the dogs 

almost ready for as long as 

FIVE HOURS. 

Like all the best buys, it's at . . . 

Southwestern 

Theatre Equipment Co. 

2010 Jackson 

1618 Austin 

Dallas, Texas 

Houston, Texas 

PRospecf 3571 

CApital 9906 

Bi .OFFICE :: May 21. 1955 

63

. . Don 

; 

. . 

. . Melvin 

. . Frank 

: May 

i 

. 

, 

JOINS (OKONET GALLERY—Alfred 

Sack, left, proprietor of the Coronet, special 

art film house at Dallas, shows Dr. 

Paul Van Kat«-ijk. retiring dean of the 

SMI' School of Music, the Coronet's gâllery 

of portraits of prominent Dallas citizens. 

.\ painting of Dr. Katnijk was 

added recentl.v to the gallerv. 

COMPO Models Contest 

On Interstate Pattern 

DALLAS—The Academy Piize Sweepstakes 

conducted by Int-erstat^ Tlieatres and tiie 

Dallas News last year is being- studied by the 

national COMPO with the idea of making 

it national but on a different basis. 

Raymond Willie, assistant general manager 

for Intj?rstate. went to New York recently to 

help Elmer Rhoden, new national chairman 

of audience awai-ds for COMPO. prepare a 

manual on balloting. Tlie booklets will be 

distributed to tJieatres. 

The oi-ganization plans to conduct a contest 

next November 17 to 27 in all theatres 

of the land, in which fans will be able to 

vote their preferences for best picture of the 

year, best actors, best supporting actors and 

best music. They also will select the most 

promising young actors not yet establislied. 

The projected contest will be independent 

of the Academy awards. In the Interstate 

contest last Mai-ch, fans were in\-it«d to vote 

\x ith the Academy membei-s in Hollj'wood and 

valuable prizes, including a trip to Hollywood, 

were offered for ballots most closely resembling 

the Academy totals. 

Gets Burros for Kids 

PORT .ARTHUR. TEX.—Edward Broussard. 

manager of the Surf Drive-In. recently arranged 

to have six burros at his theatre 

for several weeks. They are tiiere for youngsters 

to ride, pose on while Mom takes their 

picture, or just pet. if 

they like. 

mOTIOn PICTURE SERVICE C". 

115 HYDE ST. SiJn Francisco 1 21 CjI'F. 

DALLAS 

/"•alvin Orr Slaughter, 55, died following a 

heart attack in Beaumont recently. He 

has been manager of the Pyramid Drive-In 

since it was built there five years ago by 

Miller Jones of Odessa and Morris Kleinmen. 

Slaughter was buried in San Angelo. He is 

survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs. 

M.ller Jones of Odessa. 

"Five .'Vgainst the House" is receiving a 

special tie-m campaign with the story that 

appeared in Look magazine with cover and 

layout. The Texas News Co. will banner 18 

trucks on both sides with Look cover illustrations 

and distribute 500 Look stack cards 

to newsstands in tliis area, Houston, Fort 

Worth and in San Antonio. 

Loia Cheaney of Interstate has been appointed 

chairman of the WOMPI program 

committee by Lorena Cullimore. with Grace 

Polsom. Virginia Simmons and Muggins 

White as members. Named program chaii-- 

men of individual meetings were Dorothy 

McCuUough. amiiversary luncheon in May; 

Flo Gami. on costuming and styles for the 

business giii: Karen Allen. Leon Theatres, on 

art; Ruth Woodard. on the state fair; 

Dorotliy Jones, on music, and Louise Clark, 

and Gerry Hill, on interior decorating. Miss 

Cullimore will be chau-man of the installation 

banquet. 

Lloyd Bust is back on the job and feeling 

fine after a recent operation 

Walthall. Dan O'Keeffe. 

. . . Wallace 

Fi-ank Bradley and 

many others from Filmrow were seen at the 

annual Texas Research Foimdation open 

house at Renner Wednesday. After tours of 

the fields and laboratories the Karl Hoblitzelle 

annual agricultural awai'ds were made 

following the dimier at 6 p. m. Of special 

interest were the atomic energy experiments 

disclosed by Dr. Laws, who said that "hot 

phosphorus" in the form of 21 per cent radioactive 

superphosphate is being used in tests. 

The Majestic at Port Worth was reopened 

by Michael Dennis with a fuUtime art film 

policy, plus occasional stage shows and concei't 

attractions Johnny Greer joined 

. . . 

Astor as salesman . . . Mable Guinan of RKO 

was installed as president of the Pilot Club at 

the Adolphus Hotel. Fellow WOMPI members 

present were Maxine Adams. Grace Fulsom. 

Blanche Boyle and Lorena Cullimore. 

the RKO exchange: Grace Cotting was 

. 

.\t 

back after a week in Baylor Hospital 

Betty Griggs, booker's clerk, moved to Abilene 

to be with her husband . Morris went 

to Kansas City to attend funeral services 

of a relative, and from there went to Beaumont 

on business . . . E. L. Harrington, salesman, 

returned from a vacation in Amarillo 

. . . Rick Goulet is the new booking clerk 

. . . Allene Arndt resigned as shorts booker 

to join Motion Picture T\'^. 

Edward Helleny, Deport. Deport, has installed 

widescreen and Cinemascope . . . Don 

F\iller has bought the Rox Theatre in San 

Angelo. 

Moderately good weather and several conventions 

contributed to sturdy percentages . . . 

Seen along Filmrow: Mrs. W. W. McNatt and 

Buddy Bass. McNatt circuit. Daingerfield 

Harold Robinson. Plaza and EU Rancho. Denton; 

Frank Comes, Cornes, ParmersviUe 

Jeff Austin, Strand, Frankston; K. C. Lybrandt. 

Majestic, Wills Point; Harry Corur 

Ritz. Dawson: Mr. and Mi-s. H. L. Durst, I 

ace. Fredericksburg; Amiie Colemaii, Mej, 

Abilene; Roy Farr. Fair-Best, Mansfiii; 

M. B. Miller. Village Drive-In. Emiis; L. ,', 

Holioway. 183 Drive-In. Irving; Debbs Us. 

Jefferson Amusement Co., Beaumont. 

The membership committee of WOMPI ,;- 

cepted the following: Beverly Jean Druri. 

Vu-gima EUIiott. Dorotliy Bryajit, Bitsy Td- 

Imson and Henrietta Hein. all of NaticU 

Screen Service: Cai-olyn Tliomas and Dcithy 

McCorstin. U-I; Cona Shipp, Columli; 

Karen Allen. Leon Theatres; Jo Driesbn. 

Associated Popcorn, and Bess Whitaker, i- 

terstate Theatres. Voted associate memt-s 

were Mi-s. Maggie Scott, Scott Theats, 

Odessa; Mrs. Amalie Long. Corral Driven. 

Monahans. and Mi-s. Audrey Cox. Palace it 

La mesa. 

i 

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Nichols, 84 Driven. 

GKjldthwaite. have installed Cinemascope 

. 

Mr. and Mrs. Height have installed a vi:iscreen 

lens and Cinemascope at the Arciia 

in Bells . . . R. H. Muse has installed :\v 

horns and new screen at the Royal in ".n 

Alystyne 

. Cornes. Cornes Theae, 

Farmersville. bought some concession eq;-jment 

. Dodd. who at one tiie 

operated a theatre at Malakoff and who rw 

has an amusement pai-k and swimming pjl. 

pmchased some supplies at 

', 

Herber Bros. 

R. J. O'Donnell and Col. H. A. Cole, p- 

chairmen of Texas COMPO, enjoyed a pl«- 

ant visit with Ethel Merman at a recepk 

in the Press Club recently. Ethel wa-4ii 

Dallas with her husband Robert SLx. pisident 

of Continental Airlines. Ethel saidne 

would stick to her retirement from the Brciway 

stage and the movies. She will gdo 

Hollywood in June to record a giant albunjcr 

Decca. and will continue with other recor(jig 

assignments. 

Bruce Williams has opened his Urban lieatre 

here on a double feature policy iti 

with Saturday kid shows. The Urban forffli'ly 

was operated by Lloyd Rust. 

Women's Group Sponsor 

New Open-Air Theatre 

TITLSA—The Tulsa president's counciiot 

the Oklahoma State Federation of Womft'l 

Clubs recently requested that an abandcj 

brick pit be converted into an open 

theatre. The area recently was purcha 

the city for disposal of garbage. There 

i 

no immediate action on the proposal by 

| 

officials. 

Mi-s. Robert Bekins. president of the 

i 

said the idea was discussed recently 

state convention, members voting at 

time to support the project of conv 

the pit into a sunken theatre. This 

has been discussed in previous years, 

before the city acquired the area for 

bage disposal. 

The club has recommended that 

a theatre be called the Gary Glenn Mem

. 

sjles 

. 

H'e 

, IJjT 

I 

. . 20th-Fox 

. . Independent 

. . Ben 

— 

MGM) 

hys Film Presidents 

I aking Big Mistake 

,IINNEAPOLIS—When he departs thi.s 

W'k for the meetiHg scheduled in New York 

luy 23, it will be with a feeling of "great 

diippointment" and the expectation that 

fteral government intervention will be 

iiessary in order to obtain film rental relief 

(< exliibitors, said Benjamin Berger, Allied 

emergency defense committee chairijn. 

He said he is greatly disappointed 

bause the film company presidents refl= 

to meet with the joint Allied-Theatre 

Cners of America committee to try to 

t;3sh out the film rental controversy 

a'icably. 

|.e declared the film company presidents 

made a big mistake and will live to 

rlret it. He's ready to go immediately to 

(iigress for "aid." 

iVS DIE IS CAST 

j'he defense committee chairman pointed 

that Allied now is committed to governnnt 

intervention. 01 

He expects action along 

tise lines at once after the May 23 meet- 

Ij. He hopes too, that TOA will join Allied 

lithe move for government regulation. 

S. Senator H. H. Humphrey of Minnesota 

jr. 

h|. promised Berger and Abram F. Myers, 

/led general counsel, to lead the fight in 

digress in exhibitors' behalf. Under plans 

a,!ady formulated. Senator Humphrey will 

i -oduce a bill now drawn up calling for 

(eral regulation of film rentals. According 

t' Berger, Senator Humplu'ey will move to 

K'e it referred to the small business comiJlee 

of which he's a member and ask for 

^)lic hearings on it immediately. 

t the public hearings it is proposed to emp.size 

the "huge" film companies' earnings 

ding the past two years since admission tax 

r,ef, point out that such earnings are after 

t|es and after the payment of "huge salaries 

aj'l bonuses" and to cite as "typical the sag 

disappearance of average theatre earnlis." 

loth Berger and Myers believe that the 

f;ires to be submitted at the public hearings 

V. impre.ss the committee and convince the 

Kilic of the justice of the exhibitor stand. 

IINK IT'S LEGAL 

:erger and Myers are confident that the 

nisure designating the film industry as a 

pilic utility and making film rentals subject 

t; federal regulation will stand the test of 

CjStitutionality. They claim that the bill 

tibe introduced by Senator Humphrey has 

tin studied by a number of leading legal 

lilts and given their approval. 

It the same time, however, they admit 

Ire is important legal opinion to the coni 

ti.-y and the matter is likely to be fought 

t in the coiu'ts. 

t' 

Actually, we didn't expect that the film 

cipanies of their- free will would grant film 

rial relief and we've been proceeding ac- 

C|lingly and plans have been made with 

C/ernment intervention in mind," says Ber- 

E "But we were hopeful that the film 

c ipany presidents at least would meet with 

t joint committee and listen to our case 

& give their rejoinders." 

ersonally. Berger says, he isn't favorable 

ard the proposal of Al Lichtman, 20th-Fox 

s s head, for arbitration only of film rentals 

550 and under. He feels it doesn't go far 

e ugh and would mean little. 

B COFFICE May 21, 1955 

ALL FOR TIIL SHOW'—Three Hollywood 

starlets were in Des Moines recently 

to promote "Three for the Show." While 

there, they posed with theatre officials 

and made pubUc appearances. Shown 

above are (from left): June Edwards; 

Byron Blank, president of Central States 

Theatre Corp.; Laura Brock; Byron M. 

Shapiro, Columbia exchange manager, and 

Evelyn Bunn. 

MINNEAPOLIS 

p G. Fitzgibbons, Paramount exploiteer, was 

here to work on "Strategic Air Command," 

which will play the Radio City and 

St. Paul Paramount day and 

Ki-avitz, auditor, was at WB . 

date . . . Sol 

Marcus, 

Columbia district manager, was in from Kan- 

Film Exchange's 

.sa-s City . 

office manager Bert Zats was wedded to 

Marjorie Cohen ... A number of local theatres 

staged midnight horror shows Pi-iday the 

13th. The Loop State and RKO Orpheum 

did particularly well with theirs. 

The World here closed last Sunday night 

(15) to permit completion of its $125,000 facelifting 

job. The reopening is scheduled for 

July 1 ... A number of the small-town drivein 

theatres in the territory have been reporting 

disappointing business even when the 

weather was favorable. 

Cinemascope installations in the territory 

have hit a high of 485 out of 640 potentials, 

according to Saul Malisow, 20th-Fox manager 

. exploiteer Chick Evens was 

in from Kansas City to beat the drum for 

"Daddy Long Legs," playing the local State 

and St. Paul World day and date, and for 

"Soldier of Fortune," which goes into the 

Gopher here later in the month . . . Warner 

Bros, exploiteer Don Walker was in from Chicago 

to organize the campaigns for "Sea 

Chase," underlined day and date for the 

Minneapolis State and St. Paul Paramount 

May 26. 

New Mgr. at Beaver Dam 

BEAVER, DAM, WIS.—James Campine is 

the new manager at the Odeon Theatre here, 

replacing Harvey LaSa,ssa. Campine comes 

from Milwaukee where he was employed at 

the Palace Theatre the past four months. 

Before that he was at the Pox Theatre in 

Wausau more than three years. 

NC 

Just Average Grosses 

For Omaha First Runs 

OMAHA-Thc .story for the week :iiiiong 

Omaha first runs last week was average, 

give and take a bit both ways. The Orpheum 

scored 100 per cent with "The Prodigal" and 

the State went over a trifle with "Three for 

the Show." 

A-lniifQl ChiL-f Cell 2455, Deoth Row (Col); You 

Know What Soilors Arc UA) 95 

Brcin.l.r. Strongc Lady in Town (WB); Turn the 

Key Softly ! A-.lor) 80 

Omaha The Gloss Slipper I 1 05 

Orpheum- The Prodigal (MGM) 100 

State—Three for the Show (Col) 105 

Minneapolis Boxoffices 

In Seasonal Slump 

MINNEAPOLIS—Warm, sunshiny weather 

conducive to outdoor pursuits isn't doing 

the boxoffice here any good and it's in its 

usual sea.sonal slump. The only important 

newcomer was "Daddy Long Legs," which 

reported 125, as did "The Blackboard Jungle" 

in its third week. Other grosses were below 

average. 

Gopher The Blackboord Jungle (MGM), 3rd wk. . .125 

Lyric—Mombo (Para) 90 

Radio City—The Prodigal (MGM), 2nd wk 95 

Orpheum Tight Spot (Co!) 90 

Pon—Day ot Triumph (5R) 80 

State Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox) 125 

World The Gloss Slipper (MGM), 2nd wk 85 

Nebraska to Celebrate 

Nickelodeon Birthday 

OMAHA—Gov. Victor Anderson and Mayor 

John Rosenblatt have proclaimed June 15-22 

as Nickelodeon's Golden Anniversary Week 

in Nebraska. They pointed out that Senator 

John P. Harris of Pennsylvania opened the 

first theatre devoted entirely to the .showing 

of motion picture film on June 19, 1905, 

charging only a nickel. 

Long Shutdown Ends 

SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB.—After 

being closed 

for several years, the Mitchell Drive-In 

opened recently. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey C. 

Brooks of Mitchell are the new operators. 

Theatre to Paul Frazier 

KEWASKUM, WIS.—Paul Frazier has purchased 

the Plaza Theatre here. He closed 

it briefly to install CinemaScope.

. . Milt 

. . Ben 

. 

. 

. . . The 

. . The 

. . H. 

: May 

M 

y 

MILWAUKEE 

lyrarion Hvajsta, manager of the Towne The- 

. . Joe 

atre, resigned after being manager since 

December 1952. Prior to that she had been 

treasurer and has been in the business for 

15 years. She is retii-ing to move to California 

with her husband to be with her 

parents, who reside at Riverside 

Reynolds, who has been manager 

. 

of the 

Oriental Theatre for many years, is the new 

manager of the Towne Theatre . . . Gordon 

Hewitt, Fox Wisconsin general manager, and 

Al Camillo, booker, returned from a regional 

meeting at Denver. 

. . . 

Art Wickham of the Hiway Theatre, Hustisford, 

was in boolting as were Russell Ledy, the 

Orpheum, Green Bay, and Bill Ainsworth of 

Sam 

the Shawano Theatre, Shawano 

Kaplan of Al Dezel, Inc., Chicago, was in 

drumming up business . . . Betty Watters of 

Jam Handy, Detroit, came in from the West 

Coast, where she attended the Variety convention. 

She also stopped off at Omaha, 

where she conferred with Bennie Benjamin 

lATSE Local 394 is 

of Screen Guild . . . 

picketing three Marcus theatres in Appleton, 

Beaver Dam and Oshkosh, in what the union 

termed a lockout resulting from a contract 

dispute over a two-man booth. 

FILNACK 

1327 Sc. Wakuk ChieiKO • 630 Nialh A«i. Ntw York, N.Y. 

Bob Remiker of Poblocki & Sons Plaza 

Theatre, Burlington, Is taking over the buying 

and booking chores from Jack Richards, 

who lias been granted a leave of absence . 

Kent Herbert is the new manager of the 

Campus and Outdoor theatres, Ripon, succeeding 

Jack Lightner, who has taken over a 

management job at Michigan City, Ind. . . . 

Dale Carson, formerly at the Madison in 

Madison, is now managing the Badger Outdoor. 

He is replaced at the Madison by E. E. 

Johnson, who was manager tor the Strand 

Theatre . Ellis of Arizona and former 

ovimer of the Beloit Theatres. Beloit, was honored 

at a testimonial dinner prior to the reopening 

of the Rex, which was renamed the 

Ellis in his honor. 

James Champine, formerly of the Palace, 

is now managiiig the Odeon Theatre, Beaver 

Dam . 

. . Oliver Trampe, chief barker of 

the Wisconsin Variety Club, was unable to 

attend the Variety convention in Los Angeles 

due to a recent illness which confined him 

to the hospital . . . Gran's Century Theatre, 

Milwaukee, is promoting a foreign film festival 

. . . C. J. Dressell. RKO manager at Minneapolis, 

was in negotiating deals with Marcus 

Theatres . Marcus of Marcus Theatres 

is replacing Jack Kirsch as national vicepresident 

of Allied. Kirsch is resigning owing 

to the strenuous duties imposed upon him as 

general chairman of the national Allied 1955 

convention, to be held in Chicago at the 

Morrison Hotel next November. 

Iowa Drive-In Admits 30 

For Only One Dollar 

PERRY. IOWA—It was Buck night at the 

Corral Drive-In here when a tractor-drawn 

hayrack with about 30 young people aboard 

approached! The Rippey High School sophomore 

class and their friends were out on a 

hayride and they decided to stop in and see 

the show. 

Carl Schwanebeck, manager of the Perry 

theatres, grinned bravely and waved them 

past after they had plunked down one dollar. 

Warwick Pictures has inked Victor Mature 

to star in Columbia's "Zarak Khan." 

ORDER YOUR POPCORN SUPPLIES FROM US 

White Japanese Hulless Popcorn Per 100 lbs. $ 9.50 

XXX Yellow Popcorn Per 100 lbs. 9.50 

"Seazo" Coconut Oil Seasoning Per Case 13.25 

Liquid Popsit Plus Seasoning Per Case 14.25 

Popcorn Salt Per Case 2.95 

No. 400 Automatic Bottom Boxes, 1% or Per 1000 9.50 

No. 300 Automatic Bottom Boxes, 2 oz Per 1000 10.65 

Large 25c Popcorn Boxes Per 1000 18.75 

1 lb. White Popcorn Sacks Per 1000 2.20 

1 lb. Brown Popcorn Sacks Per 1000 1.80 

% lb. Popcorn Sacks Per 1000 1.50 

'/2 lb. Popcorn Sacks Per 1000 1.20 

11/2 lb. White Popcorn Sacks Per 1000 2.95 

1 lb. Printed Noiseless Sacks Per 1000 3.80 

Va lb. Printed Noiseless Sacks Per 1000 3.40 

Iowa Distributor for Silver Skillet Brand Canned Meats. 

Prices Subject to Change Without Notice 

DES MOINES THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

1121-23 High St. Des Moines, Iowa 

Ed Cohen's Pal Joey 

Flies the Coop 

OMAHA—Ed Cohen, Columbia salesman, 

has lost his pal Joey. 

Joey is the Cohen's parakeet and boast 

a vocabulary of more than 100 words—al 

printable. Ed has offered a reward bu 

hiS ads have not brought any response 

Joey somehow got outdoors and failed ti 

return to a couple of cages planted abou 

the lawn. 

Cohen still has hopes. He said one o 

Joey's accomplishments is to give hi 

address and telephone number. 

DES ywo/A/f < 

JJal Barnes, Central States, journeyed 'o 

Atlanta, Ga. where he spoke at the MM 

Workshop held there. His topic was "Build g 

of Public Relations." . . . Myron Blai, 

Central States president, and his wife spit 

several days at the Broadmoor Hotel n 

Al Kolitz, RKO - 

Colorado Springs . . . 

trict manager, was a guest of the excha.e 

last week. 

Reports of promotion ideas for Mothi's 

Day have come in from all over the state. 

the Princess Theatre in Eagle Grove, orclis 

were given the first 100 mothers who arri'd 

at the theatre. Thi'ee gifts were also gin 

in honor of the day . Sioux There 

in Sioux Rapids gave Hawaiian-grown orclis 

to all mothers attending the movie tu 

Sunday ... At the Amuzu Theatre in Foia, 

each mother was presented with a carna'.n 

Lake Theatre in Clear Lake g'e 

orchids to all mothers. 

John Newcomer, manager of the Page Teatre 

in Shenandoah, has been named mnbership 

chairman for the Chamber of cki 

merce in his town . T. Blass, IB ( 

manager, has issued written invitationsto 

a special .screening of "Mister Roberts" whh 

will be held Monday (23) at 9:30 a. mat 

the Des Moines Theatre. 

Those attending the membership tea of le 

women's committee of Tent 15 held at le 

home of Mrs. Myron Blank were impre:.'d 

by many things; the opportunity of heliig 

children through the money-making projes: 

the fun of meeting new people and of t- 

tending the monthly business and seal 

meetings. They were also impressed withie 

talents of the committee, headed by I'S. 

Dave Gold. Mi's. Pi-ank Rubel, Mrs. Rjih 

Olson, Mrs. Gold, Mrs. Lou Levy, Mrs. Blllt 

and others had labored over sandwiches ;id 

other snacks, achieving real professional)!)! 

With her usual efficiency, Mrs. Levy iriaged 

to get several names on the dotted ,ie. i 

and the women's division seems to be 'ff 

to a flying start! 

Mr. and Mjts. L. M. McKechneay, Tri-Stes 

official, soon will have a daughter-in-w. 

She's Deborah Todd Cullen Smith of os 

Angeles, who is engaged to marry UK 

McKechneay. The wedding is set for he 

fall and the couple will live In Des Moes 

following the ceremonies in California. 

CS to Lohrville, lo'wa 

LOHR'VILLE, IOWA—The Royle There! 

was closed for three days during the ini''' 

lation of a Cinemascope screen. 

^ 

66 BOXOFFICE 

: 

21, '55, ^

I 

run 

I 

Spread 

. . Donna 

. . 

OMAHA 

ITts. Carl Bailey, wife of the owner of the 

Pawnee Theatre at Pawnee City, .suf- 

Ired a stroke and is seriously ill at her home 

. Otto W. Endorf has taken over the buy- 

|,g and booking for the Legion Theatre at 

'aykin. He replaces Stanley Smith, who re- 

'gned because his painting jobs kept him 

ivay much of the time. The Legion Theatre 

as a community enterprise. 

I 

Paul Fine of Western Supply has installed 

inemaScope for Bud Bockman at the Ritz 

'heatre in Cambridge and for Max Shoeaker 

at Tabor, Iowa . 

Longnecker, 

anager of the I.sland Theatre at Grand 

'land, has a new yellow and black Ford 

Wally Johnson, exhibitor at 

[mvertible . . . 

riend, and hi.s wife have returned from a 

ip through Texas and the Pacific Northwest. 

Paul Benson, who operates theatres at 

able Rock and Sterling, has moved from 

«ncoln to Cook, a point midway between 

Eleanor Naylor has 

he two situations . . . 

liken over the position as secretary to 

i.anager Don McLucas at United Ai-tists and 

lie Tabor, formerly of Topeka, has been 

jlded to the staff following the resignation 

' 

Wanda Radik, who is moving to California. 

Tom Sandburg, exhibitor at Ravenna, is 

oving himself a versatile man. He's been 

[lowing skill as the operator of a bulldozer 

I. . Dick Boyson. Columbia shipper, has regned 

to go into business for himself 

ettie Randolph, Columbia office manager, 

lew a tire while taking a print to Ashland, 

sideswiped a bridge and did $250 damage to 

her auto. 

The Talmage Chamber of Commerce again 

will sponsor free movies. The program started 

the middle of May and will continue thi-ough 

August 20 . . . Bob Hirz, WB salesman, and 

his wife teamed with Mr. and Mrs. Dwayne 

Ahrens to take first place in the Sunday 

Mixed League at the new bowling alleys in 

Plattsmouth. 

Exhibitors in town included lowans H. P. 

Carleton, Griswold; Dick Johnson, Red Oak; 

Bob Krueger, Sioux C.ty; Carl Harriman, 

Alton; Jim Travis, Milford; Lee Bainbridge, 

Kingsley; Max Shoemaker, Tabor; Nebraskans 

Ernie Kassebaum, Seward; Slim Fraser, 

Havelock; Phil Marsh, Wayne; Mrs. Neil 

Munkres, Weeping Water, and Sid Metcalf, 

Nebraska City. 

Lewis Lebovitz Shutters 

House at Madrid, Iowa 

MADRID, IOWA—Lewis Lebovitz, manager 

of the Iowa Theatre, closed the house Monday 

(16). Lack of interest from the public 

was given as the reason for closing. 

Equipment will be shipped to Onawa where 

it will be used as drive-in theatre equipment. 

The Lebovitz family plans to make its future 

home in either North Dakota or Texas. 

Reopened at Dows, Iowa 

DOWS, IOWA—Mr. and Mrs. 

Gene Bradley 

have leased the Dows Theatre here and 

once again the house is open for business. 

It had been shuttered several months. 

ON THE SET— Snapped recently on 

the set of 20lh-Fox's "Love Is a Many 

Splendored Thing" with star William 

Holden (center) are Mr. and Mrs. Tony 

Abramovitch of Tristates Theatres, 

Grand Island, Neb., who won a trip to the 

film capital in a theatre attendance drive 

sponsored by the circuit. 

Wisconsin Theatre Sold 

LADYSMITH. WIS.—Wilfred M. Vikra of 

Excelsior has purchased the Miner Theatre 

and building here from Miner Amusement Co. 

which built the theatre many years ago. The 

new owner has been in show business since 

his early youth. In recent years he has 

been manager of the Wayzata Theatre in 

that city and other houses in the Lake 

Minnetonka area. 


Here's how RCA will help you break it I 

the News in Your Lobby — 

Free life-size lobby display looks 

[ 

handi; 

some, catches patrons' attention beti 

fore they see the show and reminds 

them of a good reason for returning. I 







reminds patrons your house ofifers the 






*Push-Backg' 


VIC MANHARDT COMPANY, INC 

1705-9 W. Clybourn Street 

Milwaukee 3j Wisconsin 

FROSCH THEATRE SUPPLY 

1111 Currle Avenue 

Minneopotis 3, Minnesota 

WESTERN THEATRE SUPPLY CO., INC. 

214 North 15th Street 

Omaha 2, Nebroska 

XOFFICE May 21, 1955 67

( 


Double Cone 
















NEW Ballantyne Single Cone 

S--.-J 


"sound in a single cone speaker unit. And when you 










aluminum case finished in two-tone gray enamel. Single 



n^^ 








speakers 

' 

'^ 

1712 Jockson Street 

^ 

ffa//3ftti^fte(p\w()aini „ maha, Nebraska 

The Ballantyne Co. 

1712 Jackson St. 

Omaha, Nebraska 

Aved Theatre Service 

830 Lumber Exchange BIdg. 

Minneapolis, Minn. 

Theatre Equipment & Supply Co. 

1009 North 7th St. 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 

American Theatre Supply 

316 South Main St. 

Sioux Falls, South Dakota 

68 BOXOFFICE May 21 1>5

I Jled 

I 

\i Irthwestern 

i, Filmokers) 

i UA) 

I 

— — 

— 

. . Jack 

Prodigar Scores 210 

it Detroit Opening 

DETROIT—"The Blackboard Jungle" at the 

iams continued to draw mighty business in 

fouilh week, but was topped by a newimer, 

"The Prodigal," opening at the United 

j, 

lists with a strong 210. All other grosses 

II to below average. 


oms—The Blackboard Jungle jMGM) 4lh wk.. .150 

lodway-Copitol Mambo (Para); Girls Marked 

Donger (IFE) .... 95 

,— Violent Saturday (20th-Fox); The Outlaw's 

Oouohter (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 80 

,J. son—From Here to Eternity (Col), Ist wk; 

Caine Mutiny, 2nd wk. return engogement 90 

The 

-higon— Strange Lody in Town (WB); 

rintberjock (Rep) 85 

Ims—Mad ot the World (Filmakers); Crashout 

^?0 

ited Artists—^The Prodigal (MGM) 210 

ily 'Prodigal' Beats 

eveland Average 

CLEVELAND—Weekend weather wa.s cold 

th showers, reflected by a drop in attendee. 

Downtown, the only picture that did 

.y busine.ss at all was "The Prodigal," which 

;; a pleasing 140 per cent. Everything else 

.s below average. 

en—Jump Into Hell (WB); Unchained (WB) . . 60 

ipodrome Run For Cover (Para), 2nd wk 75 

.,o_Shield tor Murder lUA); Operation Manhunt 

75 

Qce— Escape to Burma (RKO) 80 

te—The Prodigal (MGM) 140 

Imon The Purple Plain (UA), 2nd wk. on 

J moveover 70 

'ncinnati Grosses 

^main Average 

',:;INCINNATI—Grosses were just about 

;''rage, with only "Bedevilled" bowing in as 

; newcomer. "The Blackboard Jungle" rerted 

the largest gross, with 110 in its 

;:ond week. 

ee—The Blackboard Jungle (MGM), 2nd wk...110 

iind—Unchained (WB); Dial M for Murder (WB). 95 

lid—Doctor in the House (Rep), 3rd wk 100 

Iths—A Man Called Peter (20th-Fox), 5th wk. . . 75 

loce—Bedevilled (MGM) 100 

:leveland 

'ariety Club in association with the Cerebral 

Palsy Foundation School is holding 

(uncheon meeting Tuesday (24) in the The- 

I ical Grill penthouse to propose a con- 

I uous fund raising plan to take the place 

ithe periodic fund drives. Variety Club is 

. . . Mrs. 

CINCINNATI REALART CELEBRATES 40 YEAR< 

Jay Goldberg and Sister Selma Carry on at Oldest U. S. Independent Film Exchange 

By LILI.IAN LAZARUS 

CINCINNATI—Back in 1915, the late Lee 

L. Goldberg opened a film exchange near 

Third and Market streets in Louisville, storing 

his film in a bathtub. The venture grew, 

along with the then infant motion picture 

industry, and moved into its own modern 

building at 917 West Jefferson under the 

name of Big Features Rights Co. 

The Goldberg name eventually became a 

byword in independent film distribution, not 

only in the Kentucky-Ohio-West Virginia 

area, but in trade circles over the country. 

Today the Goldberg exchange is celebrating 

the 40th anniversary of its founding. Now 

Realart Pictures of Cincinnati, it carries on 

at 1632 Central Parkway here, still in the 

hands of the Goldberg family, as the oldest 

independent motion picture exchange in the 

United States and Canada. 

WIDOW HEADS BUSINESS 

Heading Realart Pictures of Cincinnati as 

franchise owner is Mrs. Lee Goldberg, following 

the death of her husband-founder in 

January 1952 at the age of 64. Operating the 

business is a son, Jay M. Goldberg, and a 

daughter Selma, who is Mrs. Mitchell Blachschleger. 

Realart of Cincinnati also has an office 

at IndianapoIiSj which is headed by a husband-wife 

management, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph 

Bohn. Bohn has been with the Goldberg company 

throughout all its 40 years. 

Lee Goldberg, who started as a film distributor 

when the industry was a very few 

years old, was an individualist who followed 

his chosen profession through the numerous 

franchise changes and consolidations that 

brought into existence the present major distribution 

companies. 

Goldberg served as the first franchise holder 

for many of the now major producers in 

their states right phase of operation. When 

these companies decided to combine the 

independent units into their own distribution 

firms, Goldberg stuck to his guns as an 

independent. He lost one franchise only to 

gain another. 

HIS REPUTATION EXEMPLARY 

Through hard work, intelligence and a 

reputation for honesty, he maintained a position 

at the top in every franchise handled. 

This was best exemplified in 1950 when 

Budd Rogers, then president of Realart Pictures 

nationally, presented a plaque to Lee 

Goldberg reading: 

"Realart Pictures to Lee L. Goldberg 

who has set an example to the entire 

company by his outstanding performance 

in the distribution of our product." 

Realart of Cincinnati and Indianapolis won 

three out of four national sales drives and 

finished second the other time. Last year, as 

a tribute to their father, Selma Blachschleger 

and Jay Goldberg brought their Cincinnati 

office into second place in the Lippert Pictures 

sales drive, which embraced the entire 

country and Canada. This was considered 

all the more significant since the Cincinnati 

branch was the youngest of all competing, 

having acquired the Lippert franchise only 

about a year previously. 

Mrs. Selma Blachschleger and Jay M. Goldberg standing by a portrait of their 

father, the late Lee L. Goldberg, in their office at Realart Pictures of Cinciimati, 

Ohio. They are the only brother-sister team operating an independent motion picture 

exchange in the United States and Canada. The exchange is currently celebrating its 

40th anniversary. 

Mrs. Blachschleger concentrates on the 

financial and bookkeeping details of the exchanges. 

Jay Goldberg, second generation 

Goldberg in the business, focusses on sales 

and customer relations. He is a member of 

the board of Variety Tent 3 of Cincinnati 

and a board member of Feinberg Synagogue. 

Shown here is the late Lee L. Goldberg, 

who founded Realart Pictures, oldest independent 

motion picture exchange in 

the U. S. and Canada. He started operations 

in 1915 in Louisville in partnership 

with the late Col. Fred Levy. Today the 

company has offices in Cincinnati and 

Indianapolis and represents such producers 

as Selznick Releasing Organization, 

Lippert, Realart and Broder and 

American Releasing Organization. 

He served overseas with the 13th Armoil 

division in France, Germany and Austria a 

World War II and holds two battle stars. 

"My sister and I are trying to demcstrate 

to our mother that we aim to folllr 

through with the same policies that cf 

dear father employed," Jay Goldberg sa 

"No one can ever adequately fUl his fo^ 

steps because he was a man among m 

However, we are endeavoring, with see 

success, we hope, to operate his exchanis 

honestly, courteously and efficiently. Abip 

all we always try to practice the Golch 

Rule, to do unto others as we would hije 

them do unto us." 

The Goldberg organization boasts sevdl 

employes who have been with it since s 

founding in Louisville, and also exhibits 

who have been customers almost throughilt 

its 40 years. 

Joseph W. Goldberg, brother of the ife 

founder, started with the company at Is 

inception. He is believed to be the old,t 

film salesman in the country in point if 

continuous service and actual age, coibined. 

He is 71 years old and has been tr,-|eling 

eastern Kentucky 40 years. He rw 

covers West Virginia in addition. 

Miss Sarah Goldberg, sister of the founcr, 

was another person w'ho started in 1915. ifi 

is now retired, living iia Louisville, but I- 

casionally "helps out." 

] 

Among the earliest customers were e 

following exhibitors, who still deal with Re-- 

art, some of them for nearly 40 years: W,p. 

Cain, Paintsville, Ky.; Anna Bell W£^. 

Somerset, Ky.; Phil Chakeres, SpringfiS, 

Ohio; J. Real Neth, Columbus; ChaJS 

Mitchell. Barbourville, Ky.; Sam Switv, 

Louisville; Julian Silberstein of the Hynjn 

Theatres in Huntington, W. Va.; Chafe 

Krebs, Louisville: Mannie Marcus, Indi 

apolis; J. F. Carnahan, Manchester, 

(Continued on next news page) 

70 

BOXOFFICE May 21, :55 ^5

: May 

REALART PICTURES OF CINCINNATI 

1915-1955 

Celebrating Forty Years of Service to the Industry 

. . . wish 

to thank all of their many loyal friends in 

Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana who have 

made this record possible and memorable. 

We are deeply appreciative of the friendships formed 

with the 

Distributors and Producers we have represented 

and the Exhibitors we have served throughout 

the years. 

We, his wife and children, salute the memory of Lee L. 

Goldberg, the founder of our Company, in deep love 

and admiration and pledge ourselves to continue with 

the same integrity that exemplified his years of Independent 

Exchange operation. 

Mrs. Lee L Goldberg 

Selma 

Blachschleger 

Jay M. Goldberg 

B :OFFICE ; 

21, 1955 71

" 

REALART ANNIVERSARY 

Lee Goldberg a Distribution Pioneer 

(Continued from preceding news page) 

Dick Martin and his father before him, Ashland, 

Ky.; Jim Howe. Richland. Carrollton, 

Ky.; Fred May and his dad before him. Royal, 

also of Carrollton; Roy White (and his father 

before him), and Niclc Shafer. Midstates. Cincinnati; 

L. O. Davis, Hazard, Ky.; the Mc- 

Clanahans of Irvine. Ky.; L. E. Rogers of 

Welch. W. Va.; the Shor's and Banlt's of 

Williamson, W. Va., and others. 

A veteran employe still plugging for the 

organization is Don Duff, head boolier at 

Cincinnati. Duff has been with Realart 

since 1935. when Goldberg moved to Cincinnati 

from Louisville. Except for time out for 

army service during the last war. he has 

been with Realart 20 years. 

Back in 1915, Big Feature Rights pioneered 

independent film distribution, helping to 

establish many of the patterns used today. 

The company had to "feel" its way, like 

any other pace-setter. For example, film 

transportation in the very early days was on 

a "cash-and-carry" basis—with emphasis on 

the "can'y." 

"I remember," reminisces Bohn, "that back 

in April of 1917 I was representing Lee Goldberg 

on "The Little Girl Next Door' in ten 

southern states. I actually carried the prints 

with me! I would travel to a theatre with 

the print and wait each day until the showing 

was completed and collect in cash on the 

spot. Once, in a small Kentucky town I recall 

an exhibitor getting miffed because we 

wanted our payment on the spot; he gave 

me the day's receipts in all silver!" 

Another early feature handled by Big Feature 

Rights was "The Battle Cry of Peace." 

which was released by Vitagraph. forerunner 

of Warner Bros. Pictures. 

Among the pioneering accomplished by 

Realart of Cincinnati, operating under various 

names, was the first distribution of The 

March of Time. Although the fii-m was known 

variously as Big Feature Rights, Educational 

Pictures, Popular Pictures and the like, it was 

always under the Goldberg management. It 

led the way with short subjects under the 

old Educational banner, once rated the tops 

in shorts. It was among the earliest distributors 

of newsreels, with the Kinogram News. 

Exploitation in the earlier days had to be 

inventive with an independent exchange. Joe 

Goldberg remembers that his brother was 

handling Mack Sennett's "Sidewalks of New 

York." 

"I had a film made, sponsored by the 

Louisville Courier-Journal," he said, "showing 

the Keystone cops at Fourth and Broadway 

in Louisville, bathing beauties in the 

local swimming pool, etc. I called this featurette 

'The Sidewalks of Louisville,' which I 

gave top billing over 'The Sidewalks of New 

York,' C. L. Yearsley. First National advertising 

manager, saw to it that other cities 

made their own local 'Sidewalk' features." 

He remembers, too, a famous picture, 

"Peck's Bad Boy." 

"No pressbooks had been gotten out," Joe 

Goldberg recalls. "All I had was a still showing 

Jackie Coogan feeding an ice cream cone 

to his pet dog. So I invented the 'Jackie 

Coogan Ice Cream Cone' and got a Louisville 

ice cream manufacturer to tie in. I gave 

him the exclusive use of the trademark and 

they supplied each child attending a Saturday 

matinee with a 'Jackie Coogan Ice 

Cream Cone.' 

This idea was later used extensively all 

over the nation. 

Big Feature Rights always had a big presentation 

trailer affixed to the feature: "Big 

Feature Rights Co., presents ..." The 

name of the picture was then affixed. Lee 

Goldberg was a staunch believer in advertising 

his company in every way. He always 

put something on his envelopes and stationery 

and that is done to this day. 

Forty years is a remarkable record of consecutive 

distribution of motion pictures in 


to 

REALART PICTURES OF CINCINNATI 

40th 

on their 

ANNIVERSARY 

from 

REALART PICTURES. 

Inc. 

Mrs. Lee L. Goldberg is franchis'i 

owner for Cincinna.ti and Indianapolis; 

This picture was taken in Hollywood ii! 

1948 when on a visit to Mr. and Mrs. Ja' 

Goldberg, then residing in HoUywoo< 

Mrs. Goldberg, a native of Louisville, ha 

been very active in many civic and relig 

ious organizations throughout the year 

Pictured above is the building thi 

housed Big Feature Rights, as Goldbei 

then called his company, in Louisvill 

His was the only motion picture exchanj 

in Louisville for some tune. Later Fir 

National was housed in the same an 

Paul Krieger was First National mai 

ager and also the late Maurice Whii 

Today Louisville has no exchange, beii 

served out of Indianapolis. This buili 

ing was built in the early '20s and W;. 

used until 1935, when Goldberg movi 

to Cincinnati. 

an industry that is little more than 50 y'JS 

old. And Realart hopes, with the good Ld's 

aid, to be around for quite a few mor to 

come! 


to Realart Pictures am 

may you have success Ic 

another 40 years. 

AL and BILL 

THALHEIMER 

72 BOXOFFICE :; May 21,555^

Sincere 


This Is a Great Achievement! 

to 

BIRDIE. 

SELMA. 

and JAY 

lay ... it is wonderful to see you carry 

out the same traditions that your dear 

father, Lee, exemplified. 

May you have continued success 

and happiness. 

PHIL CHAKERES 

Chakeres Theatres, Inc. 

Springfield, Ohio 

SID 

SPAHN 

êa^tie4^t Qo-4tG/idtulatiO'4i/i 

. . . to Mrs. Lee L Goldberg, Her Son and 

Daughter on the 40th Anniversary of 

Realart Pictures of Cincinnati. 

-LOU 

WIETHE 

3X0FFICE :: May 21, 1955 

73

5 


Goldberg Praised 

CARRY ON...! By Anna Bell Ward 

When the Independent Theatre 

Owners lost Lee Gold- 

and general manager of the Somerset Amuse- 


CINCINNATI—Anna Bell Ward, president 

ment Co., Somerset, Ky.. recalled the pioneering 

days of Lee Goldberg, founder of 

berg they lost more than just 

a salesman — they lost a 

Realart F*ictures, in a recent letter to his From one who qreatly 

seller of ideas—and they lost 

son Jay, general manager of Realart in Cincinnati. 

a friend. A 

admired 

darned good 

Relating that she, too, had entered the 

friend. It is both comforting 

and reassuring to all us 

age of 15, Mrs. Ward said, "I believe the 

theatre business in Maysville in 1915, at the LEE L. GOLDBERG 

Pastime is still in existence." 

and wishinq 

Independents to see Lee's 

Mrs. Ward wrote that Lee Goldberg came 

family digging in—continuing 

and expanding the herit- 

to Richmond in 1920 with his brief case to 

continued success 

sell his product, about five years after his 

entrance in the business at Louisville. "I 

to his 

age that evolved from such 

will always have a kindly feeling in my heart 

hard work—we say "carry 

for yom- father and many pleasant memories 

capable Son. 

on." 

of our years of associations in the business. 

We both came up the hard way." 

PALACE-HUNTINGTON 

By 1922, Goldberg was a full-fledged distributor 

of Big Feature Rights, Mrs. Ward 

JOHN A. GOODNO 

recalled, selling his pictures to her fii-m in 

SAM GALANTY 

Lexington for the Strand and Ben Ali. 

"There were two sides to your dad," she 

said, "the hard, tough businessman who 

always knew when to say 'yes' to the exhibitor, 

and the man who was friendly outside 

of business. He could separate the two 

at will. 

CONGRATULATIONS 

" 'Friendship,' he used to say, 'is one thing 

—business, ah, that is another.' We could 

quarrel over a deal one minute, and then 

to 

he'd take me to an ice cream parlor to 

'celebrate' after having won his point on what 

the pictures were worth. 

"I think those of us who remember him can 

Jay, Selma and the 

say he was always fair and understanding," 

Mi-s. Ward concluded, "and I believe he never 

took 

Rest at Realart! 

advantage in a business situation." 

"Heartiest congratulations 

to Mrs. Lee L. Goldberg, Jay 

and Selma, on the 40th Anniversary 

of Realart Pictures 

Congratulations to 

GRAY BARKER 

of Cincinnati." 

Booking Agency 

THE SWELLEST 

William Onie 

Representing 30 Drive- In and Indoor Theatres in OF PEOPLE 

W. Va., Vo., Ohio and Maryland. 

(HUNT THEATRES) 

Ritz Theatre BIdg. Clarksburg, W. Va. 

HERMAN and PEARL HUNT 

Our Heartiest Congratulations 

Congratulations to Realart 

Pictures of Cincinnati on this 

milestone. May you have 

many more years of achievement. 

MOE KERMAN and JOE FELDER 

HERBERT GILLIS, 

Favorite Attractions, Inc. 

Branch Manager 

Paramount Pictures 

74 BOXOFFICE May 21, 1


to 

OLD FRIENDS 

It 

has been a privilege being associated with 

Realart Pictures of Cincinnati, and Realart 

Pictures of Indianapolis, in the inspection and 

shipping of their films. 

We wish them many more years of continued 

success. 

LAWRENCE KEATHLEY 

MARTIN THEATRE, 

Martin, Kentucky 

^^lOU&iB tUe. G>uxwcU. Qa" 

STATES FILM SERVICE, INC. 

MEYER ADLEMAN 

President 

Member National Film Service, Inc. 

P. K. WESSEL 

Treasurer 

^m^ -S^WTSyt'jS^^SKS^^SlÂ^^SSMSSSM^K-iô^SSS^t^^ „

REALART ANNIVERSARY

: 

iider 

Poposed Ohio Labor Law 

Mil Benefit Theatres 

lOLUMBUS—New provisions of the bill 

rtjlating working hours for women and 

njiors, as passed by the Ohio senate, is advltageous 

to theatre owners. Under its pro- 

Jons girls over 16 are allowed to work until 

g.m. and boys over 16 to work until 10 p.m. 

those ages the limit is 6 p.m. Girls 

ail boys over 18 may work any hours. This 

b is expected to pass the House in this 

f,ii to supplant the present bill which ex- 

>s June 30. 

l/i/\\h compliments to the 

yjoldberad 

wishing them continued 

success for 40 more years! 

JAY and SELMA 

On the 40th Anniversary 

BUDD ROGERS, General Sales Manager, 

SELZNICK RELEASING ORGANIZATION 

of 

REALART PICTURES 

GEORGE B. LIVELY, Jr. 

GEORGE B. LIVELY, III 

QaHaâtulatio-Hd . . . . / 

Be ever the same fine 

and understanding distributors, 

as your founder. 

LEE L. GOLDBERG 

FIVE GUNS WEST' 

FAST & FURIOUS' 

ARC 

I 

AMERICAN 

RELEASING 

CORPORATION 

I 

Congratulations to 

REALART PICTURES OF 

CINCINNATI 

BEAST WITH 1,000,000 EYES' 

on their 40th Anniversary. 

Best Wishes for the Future. 

OHIO THEATRE 

Portsmouth, Ohio 

James C. Malovazos, Owner 

Fred Donohoe, Manager 

It 

gives me great pleasure to offer 

Congratulations on Realart's 40th 

Anniversary. 

Gooc/ Luckl 

ALBERT 

DEZEL 

ROBERT C. McNABB 

Branch Manager 

Twentieth Century-Fox 

E (OFFICE :: May 21, 1955 ME 

77


Huge Radio Promotion 

For 'The Gangbusters 

three television outlets in Cincinnati, Dayiti 

and Columbus, will participate. Also, ir 

the first time, the radio and TV will sh'e 

in the returns; a.s WLW, the producer, sa 

the distributor have entered into a thrt 

way partnership. The theatres will not hie 

to pay for this tremendous coverage, a ca,- 

paign that Mr. Tm-ner estimates would c;t 

$100,000 if bought at book value. 

WLW held a staff meeting of all of '^ 

department heads while Turner was in to j, 

to arrange for the concentrated campaign 

Doug Beck, special field representaie 

for Turner, will be in the Cincinnati i|d 

Indianapolis areas to contact every theal;. 

man booking the film and make arrangeme's 

for exploitation. 

Turner and Goldberg flew to Indianapolis 

confer with Helen and Joe Bohn to set U'a 

similar campaign there. The Gangbus'^ 

radio show created by Phillips H. Lord, ts 

appeared on the air for 21 years. 

The "Gangbusters" film will break aroi.d 

June 10. It is now dated June 10-16 at 

Loew's, Dayton; June 17-23 in Loew's Bred, 

Columbus. Some of the other theatres t^t 

have signed contracts to enter into part'ipation 

are the Shea houses in Cambriiê, 

Marietta and Zanesville; the New Arciie, 

Newark, Ohio; Paramount, Hamilton; Palje, 

Lancaster; Starlite Drive-In, Danville, 'k, 

etc. 

It is anticipated the picture will have ;|turation 

bookings in over 50 houses in \ii 

area. 

i 

I 

Jay Goldberg and his sister Selma, who operate Realart of Cincinnati, are seen in 

the above pictures, talien at the recent dinner given in Cincinnati for discussion of 

promotion of the saturation opening in the territory of "Gangbusters." Top photo 

shows, left to right: Mike Chakeres, general manager of the Chakeres circuit, Springfield; 

Harry Williams, Chakeres; Terry Turner, co-producer of "Gangbusters"; Jay 

Goldberg; John Murphy, and Harry Mason of WLW. Selma Blachschleger may be 

seen at end of table in bottom photo. Next to her is Lillian Lazarus, BOXOFFICE 

correspondent. Others in the photo are Wally AUen, Williams and Mike Chakeres of 

the Chakeres circuit; Turner and Murphy; B. E. Dunville, Crosley Broadcasting Corp., 

and Margie Kemme, WLW. 

CI^PCINNATI—Jay Goldberg and his sister, 

Selma Blachschleger, of Realart Pictures of 

Cincinnati hosted a luncheon at the Terrace 

Plaza Hotel recently for Terry Turner, coproducer 

with General Teleradio, Inc., of 

"Gangbusters"; R. E. Dunville, president of 

the Crosley Broadcasting Corp.; heads of various 

departments of WLW and WLW-TV; 

Mike Chakeres, Chakeres circuit, Springfield; 

James W. McDonald, manager of Theatre 

Owners Corp., here and other circuit executives, 

at which plans were unfolded for promotion 

of the territorial opening of the film. 

Turner and Dunville both recalled their 

first collaboration on "Hitler's Children," approximately 

14 years ago. The campaign on 

"Gangbusters" will exceed that executed on 

"Hitler's Children," since, in addition to the 

full weight of the radio coverage over most 

of Ohio, part of Indiana, all of Kentucky, and 

the western third of West Virginia, the biggest 

area of any radio in the midwest—the 

We ore happy .to join the many friends

I 

! 

,ee Goldberg Lauded 

ly L.O.Davis, Hazard 

HAZARD. KY—11 all the old Big 

ature Rights pictures that I have bought 

d run from your father were tied together. 

ey would perhaps reach from Hazard to 

nclnnati and return." This quotation is 

)m a letter to Mrs. Selma Blachschleger of 

jalart Pictures in Cincinnati, daughter of 

e Goldberg, founder of the company. It 

IS written by L. O. Davis of the Virginia 

nusement Co. on the occasion of Realart's 

th anniversary. 

"I used to say when other exchanges would 

t too tough that I would cut off all other 

oduct and operate the next ten years from 

e," said Davis. "Both you and your brother 

n take pride in being the children of a 

ry fine gentleman, yes, a man liked by 

I the theatre owners in his territory." 

Davis recalled that it was August 1920 

len he went to Louisville and bought his 

•st film contract from Lee Goldberg who 

en did business over the old National There. 

He said that he also purcha.sed one 

1 the First National sub-franchises in Kencky 

when Goldberg operated the First 

'itional Exchange with Col. Levy in Louisjlle. 

l"Your father remained up until his death 

y very close friend, and I know of no one 

enjoyed doing business with any more than 

did him— all the years I have been in 

siness." 

Davis characterized Goldberg as a man 

with a sincere desire to aid the small theatre 

and said that he had pulled many a 

small house out of a tight situation. He 

said, also that he always .seemed to have 

such a great variety of independent product. 

George Starkey, the Big Feature representative 

for many years, also came in for praise 

from Davis. "He was one of my very best 

friends in the early days of five-reel westerns 

and slapstick comedies. Those were the days 

when .show business was show business, but I 

fear the good old times as we know them 

passed with men like your father and other 

pioneers of the motion picture industry." 

CONGRATULATIONS, REALARI 

ON YOUR 40th BIRTHDAY 

Your success is but the lenqthening shadow of 

the fine 

man who founded your orqanization, 

the late Lee Goldberg. 

May 1 extend my wishes for many more years 

of useful service to the industry. 

L. O. DAVIS 


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MID-WEST THEATRE SUPPLY CO., INC. 

1638 Central Parkway 

Cincinnati 10, Ohio 

OLIVER THEATRE SUPPLY CO., INC. 

East 23rd & Payne Avenue 

Clevelond 14, Ohio 

ERNIE FORBES THEATRE SUPPLY 

214 W. Montcalm Street 

Detroit 1, Michigan 

XOFFICE :: May 21, 1955 79

HEARTIEST 

FELICITATIONS 

to 

Mrs. Lee L Goldberg 

Jay Goldberg 

Selma Blachschleger 

on 

REALART'S 40th 

ANNIVERSARY 

• 

THEATRE OWNERS CORPORATION 

^ SEAT UPifOLSTERING OUR SPECIALTY i, 

Heavy-Duty Automotive Materials 

Sewed Seat Covers Made-to-Order 

All sizes, all colors, most reasonable 

SERVICE SEATING CO. 

DETROIT 

T Oliver Brooks, former head booker for Butterfield 

ch'cuit and now an independent 

film distributor, paid a .short visit to his 

office, the first since he was taken ill in 

December. He will be back at his desk about 

June 1, after convalescence at his cottage 

near Lake St. Clair and a spell as the house 

guest of Columbia salesman Fred Bonnem 

. . . Earl Bradley, the theatrical florist, is 

looking forward to a satisfactory summer 

after a very promising seasonal opening. 

Dillon M. Krepps, managing director of 

the United Artists, has been on the sick list 

Jack Krass, who runs his 

a few days . . . 

cii'cuit these days with a minimum of changes 

in personnel, has his son Marvin Krass 

assisting as relief manager. Jack Van Vliet 

and George Cheatham, who formerly did relief 

managing chores, are no longer active 

with the circuit. 

Max Gealer, supervisor of Associated Theatres, 

reports circuit chief Alex Schreiber 

will be returning home to Los Angeles in 

about four weeks, completing his annual visit 

here . . . James F. Sharkey, film buyer for 

Cooperative Theatres of Michigan who has 

been hospitalized for four weeks, is scheduled 

for a few weeks' convalescence at home 

before retm-ning to his desk. 

Detroit Moms Honored 

At David Idzal's Fox 

DETROIT—David M. Idzal, managing director 

of the Fox Theatre, had the women of 

Detroit reversing form at his boxoffice by 

giving them an incentive to increase their 

age rather than subtract a few years or make 

it "over 21." 

To celebrate Mother's Day, Idzal announced 

that all mothers "over sixty" would be admitted 

free. With a true touch of gallantry, 

he added the footnote that no ladies who 

claimed the privilege would be questioned as 

to their actual age. 

c

, j.wntown 

! 

;it 

1 

' 

iforcesler Poli Unit 

old for $152,000 

NEW HAVEN—Loew's Poli-New England 

'leatres has sold its Elm Street Theatre In 

I 

Worcester for $152,000, The 2,297- 

(at house was purchased by two Worcester 

'sidents. Bertram L. and Bessie Handleman, 

'lo will raze the structure and ei-ect a multick 

parking garage in its place. 

ISale of the Elm Street leaves the Poli cir- 

with 12 theatres. Loew's Bijou, in this 

|,y, and the Lyric, in Bridgeport, were .sold 

irlier in the yeai\ The thi'ee sales were reiired 

under the consent decree in the fedal 

antitrust action against Loew's. 

The Elm Street had operated only interittently 

in the last few years, offering screen 

ograms and touring stage attractions. The 

;t show there before the closing was the 

ad company presentation of "Pajama 

ime." May 2 and 3. 

Constructed in 1914 by the late Sylvester 

Poli. founder of the Poli chain, it w'as the 

it house in Worcester to offer regular twoday 

vaudeville. It later converted to a 

m-vaudeville combination, and also housed 

asical and dramatic stock companies, 

aight movie bills and occasional touring 

;itimate shows. 

Loew's Poli operates Worcester's largest 

[eatre. the Poli. Bob Portle, who was maner 

of the Elm Street at the time of the 

le, is temporarily working with John Di- 

(nedetto, Poli manager. 

,The Handlemans. buyers of the property, 

le prominent real estate investors in 

orcester. Their construction of a multi- 

I'el parking garage will greatly benefit down- 

«'n businesses, including other theatres. 

Representing Loew's in the transaction were 

Iiomas Bress of the New York legal depart- 

;nt, Morris Mendlesohn, attorney for Loew's 

i'li-New England Theatres, and Thomas 

,oUoy, real estate manager for the New 

jigland circuit. 

'imes B. Sniffen's Drive-In 

/aits Appeals Decision 

STRATFORD. CONN.—The zoning board 

appeals has reserved its decision on a 

•luest by James B. Sniffen for a reversal 

the 

i 

planning board action, which denied 

'11 a waiver for construction of a drive-tn. 

Albert L. Coles, representing Sniffen. asked 

it the appeals board recommend reconsidrition 

of the petition by the planners. He 

•inted out that no reasons were given by 

; planning board for its action, 

^bert E. Trevethan, counsel for those opsing 

the Sniffen project, told the board 

|it the planners were not required under 

regulations to give reasons for the action. 

'. 

',.e of those opposing the project is Albert 

j Pickus, owner and operator of the Stratd 

Theatre here and a vice-president of 

')A. 

tYevethan said that zoning regulations 

l-ihibit theatres without four walls and a 

'if, and the planning board members were 

{nolding the regulations. 

1 B. Nathan E. Goldstein Dies 

5PRINGFIELD—The wife of Nathan E. 

ld.5tein. president of Western Massachusetts 

eatres. died recently at her home here. 

Eire Society Honors 

Director John Ford 

.((ihn I nrd, director of "The Long Gray Line" and other films, receiving the Gold 

."Medal fur 1955 from the Eire Society of Boston at a dinner at the Sheraton Plaza 

Hotel. Left to right: The Most Rev. John Edward Petit, bishop of Menevia, Wales; 

Ford (born Sean O'Feeney) ; John P. MeGrail, who made the presentation, and Paul 

Tierney, toastmaster. 

BOSTON—John Ford, Hollywood director, 

received the Gold Medal for 1955 at the 

recent 18th annual dinner of the Eii'e Society 

ot Boston at the Hotel Sheraton Plaza. 

In introducing Ford, toastmaster Paul 

Tierney called him a director who was 

realistic without being sordid, humorous without 

being salacious, seeking stories that say 

something with characters who are real. 

"He reflects credit on his profe.ssion with 

h s cultural achievements," Tierney continued. 

"His outstanding film, "The Informer,' 

made in 1935. remains a classic and his first 

Academy award. It will be rereleased shortly. 

Many of his films have Irish themes and 

Irish characters. Irish blood still courses 

through the veins of John Ford." 

John P. McGrail, mo relation to Universal's 

Johnnie McGrail who was in the audience i, 

presented the citation which read: "John 

Ford, (born Sean O'Feeney), motion picture 

director and Rear Admiral, Ret., USN—His 

tn the land of his ancestors but also pride in 

the achievements of his race. 

"The Eire Society of Boston is pleased to 

honor this distinguished representative of 

the Irish race in the field of entertainment." 

In accepting the award, Ford said: "I am 

back in my beloved New England among my 

own people. This is the greatest moment of 

my life, and I am almost too emotional to 

be able to express my feelings, but I thank 

you all most humbly." Speaking of his boyhood 

in Maine, Ford said, "Our parents taught 

us to love and respect this country which 

had given them refuge, and many's the time 

we children were severely whacked by my 

stern father when he considered we were 

not showing the proper attitude." 

"My young son wrote this address. He's 

a highly educated young man. A student 

at the University of Maine, he is majoring 

in football and writing home for money. 

He excels in the latter." 

Ford says he is going back to Ireland 

shortly to make a film for an Irish company 

with Tyrone Power as its star. 

The crowd that filled the main ballroom 

of the Sheraton Plaza applauded generously 

when several of Ford's film achievements 

were mentioned, including "The Long Gray 

Line." "The Quiet Man," and "Mogambo," 

but the loudest applause came when Tierney 

pre-eminence in the motion picture world is 

demonstrated by the honors conferred upon 

him by his associates, by the critics, by our disclosed that "The Informer" will soon be 

own and by foreign governments, and the rereleased. 

public. 

"His integrity as an artist is exemplified 

in the variety of theme, originality of treatment 

and sensitivity to mood in all of his 

Press Agent Arthur Levy 

works. 

Dies in New Haven 

"His personal history is marked by an NEW HAVEN—Ai-thur Levy of Westport. 

exemplary family life, a strict adherence to who served as press agent for a number of 

the faith of his fathers and a disdain for screen and stage personalities, died recently 

the psuedo sophistication of modern society. in Norwalk Hospital. He was 62. 

"His faithful and sympathetic portrayal of Levy recently completed a cross-coimtry 

Irish character, his appreciative presentation tour with Melvyn Douglas, in "Time Out for 

of Ireland's scenic beauty and his diligence Adventure." Earlier in his career, he represented 

in seeking authentic dramatic material from 

Tallulah Bankhead, Katharine Hep- 

Irish sources, manifest not only his devotion burn. Rosalind Russell, Joan Bennett, Ina 

Claire, Lenore Ulrich. Jane Cowell and Irene 

Bordoni. 

A native of Mansfield, Ohio, he arrived 

in New York City as a boy, and was a newspaper 

reporter before going into press agentry. 

He was a press agent for David Belasco until 

the latter's death. 

IXOFFICE :: May 21, 1955 

L 

NE 

81

. . . The 

. . The 

. . The 

NEW HAVEN 

pimer Hirth, booker and buyer for the 

Stanley Warner New England zone, has 

been transferred to a similar post with the 

company's Philadelphia office. Hirth and 

Larry Lapidus, Massachusetts-New York 

booker and buyer for the New England zone, 

who recently resigned to join a drive-in 

chain in New Jersey, were honored at an 

industry dinner in Waverly Inn, Cheshii-e 

(16). 

Al Parizer, booker at the WB exchange, has 

resigned. He was with Warner's four years, 

and formerly was head booker and office 

manager for Eagle-Lion, and served with 

Columbia earlier in his career. His future 

The Broad Brook 

plans are indefinite . . . 

Theatre, in the Broad Brook section of East 

Windsor, has closed. The 300-seat house will 

be turned into a food market . . . Dave 

Warner of National Theatre Supply is on a 

two-week cruise to Cuba with a Naval Reserve 

unit. 

Ralph lannuzzi, eastern district manager 

for Warner's, was in to confer with branch 

manager Max Birnbaum . Bowl 

Drive-In, West Haven, played U-I's "Revenge 

of the Creature" and "Cult of the Cobra" 

in 3-D "Horrorscope" . Dixwell Playhouse, 

Hamden, promoted 200 roses from a 

town florist as a Mother's Day giveaway 

Shubert is currently running a series 

of all-Italian programs on Sundays now that 

its legitimate season is over ... A large 

Filmrow delegation attended the Wednesday 

(18) opening of the Southington Drive-In 

. . . Bill Brown, booker and buyer for the 

Pickwick Theatre in Greenwich was a visitor. 

Many Connecticut exhibitors have received 

sterling silver cuff-link sets from Universal, 

for playing at least one U-I picture on every 

program during April. Alec Schimel, manager, 

and Ray Squer, salesman, pushed this 

project so efficiently, as part of the Charlie 

Feldman drive, that nearly half of the 

state's exhibitors received cuff-link gifts. 

James White Marries 

HARTFORD—James White, assistant manager 

of Lockwood and Gordon's Plaza, Windsor. 

Conn., has married Miss Lillian Avery. 

Incorporations 

— HARTFORD — 

Wotertown Dnve-ln Theatre: President, John D. 

Sirica; vice-president, William A. Sirica; secretarytreasurer, 

Fred Quatrano. 

Jack O'Connell Known 

As 5th Warner Brother 

TOLEDO—Jack O'Connell, pioneer Tolcp 

showman who died here recently, was b' 

highly regarded by Warner Bros, when ]e 

was a salesman for them here that they 

ferred to him as the fifth Warner brother. 

Good salesman that he was, O'Connell s 

had difficulty interesting Toledo theafe 

owners in talking movies. This merely 

couraged him to enter the talking moth 

picture business himself, and he opened je 

Vita-Temple, said to be the first all-soiB 

theatre in the world. 

He is 

well-remembered for his welfare wjk 

in Toledo and Paulding. Cooperating nft 

the Paulding Chamber of Commerce in 119, 

he staged a hospital benefit show whji 

raised more than $5,000; and each yearie 

staged a polio benefit show'. 

Torrington Drive-In Suit 

Settled Out of Court 

WINSTED. CONN.—The suit of the i[. 

rington Drive-In Corp. against Theoctf 

Zoli of Torrington has been settled outp; 

court here, the terms of which have not til 

disclosed. The suit grew out of alleged brefl 

of contract and faulty construction when jig 

airer was built five years ago. 

Witnesses for the plaintiff had testit( 

that there were landslides from nearby L 

bankments which clogged gutters and lew 

faulty drainage conditions. 


I 

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them of a good reason for returning. I 





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CAPITOL THEATRE SUPPLY CO. 

28 Piedmont Street 

Boston 18, Massachusetts 

82 

BOXOFFICE May 21, "55

' 

lARTFORD—Now 

I 

w 

L 

I 

' 

"Tall 

^ 

'and, 

I 

for 

' 

e 

. . 

HARTFORD 

iirry F. Shaw, division manager for Loew's 

Poll, was in town ahead of the telecast of 

Marciano-Cockell championship fight. 

t[ 

le local program was the only scheduled 

( uiecticut theatre presentation, with other 

houses throughout the state participatm 

$3.50 ticket sales. Lou Cohen, Poll 

1 1-, and Fred Greenway of Loew's Poll 

u.sed lobby displays and other promot 

lis lor ticket sales. 

I 

|

. . Preparing 

. . Peter 

. . Ronald 

. . George 

. . 

. . . The 

— 

— 

— 

— — — 

: May 

. . . 

1 

BOSTON 

TJob White, new owner of the Wiscasset The- 

. . Selberg 

atre, Wiscasset, Me., is uncertain as to 

whether he will reopen the theatre this summer. 

He is in Nova Scotia at the moment, 

where he is with the engineering department 

Bob of the telephone company . 

of the Palace Theatre, Old Orchard, Me., 

is planning to operate the local dance hall 

again this season. The hall is in the same 

building as the theatre. 

Car! Goldman, lENE executive secretary, 

has sent the organization's condolences to 

the family of J. Don Alexander, president and 

co-founder of Alexander Film Co., who 

died of a heart attack in Colorado Springs 

at the age of 70 . 

Lajoie. son of 

Leo Lajoie, manager of the Capitol at Worcester, 

was one of 18 students chosen by the 

Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology 

for fui'ther study this summer at the 

Shrewsbury Foundation. This group is a newly 

organized precolliegiate science program in 

cooperation with St. Mark's School, Southboro. 

A student at Wachusetts High School, 

Peter is planning to enter medical school 

following his high school and college completion. 

. 

Joe Abramo, recently with National Screen 

Service, is the new booker at RKO, replacing 

Richard Oberman, who resigned to sell for 

The new booker at 

Embassy Pictures . . . 

Warner Bros, is Harold Rosenberg of New 

York, replacing Eddie Barry, who resigned 

to enter another field of business 

jorie Green has been added to 

. . 

the 

Mar- 

Embassy 

Pictures bookkeeping staff to handle 

drive-in accounts, taking this task off the 

hands of Frances Greenberg, secretary to 

Joseph Levine, president . Roberts, 

Rifkin cii'cuit treasurer who has just stepped 

down from the presidency of the Sentry Lodge 

of B'nai B'rith, was installed first vicepresident 

of the Greater Boston Council of 

B'nai B'rith, the only industryite who is an 

officer of that organization. 

Reports from the dinner dance of the Motion 

Picture Salesmens Club held at the new 

Sherry Biltmore Hotel have it that Dave 

Grover, RKO salesman, and his wife staged 

an arduous yet graceful demonstration of 

the Mambo, the highlight of the evening. 

About 60 couples attended the affair . . . 

Chester Currie, Rhode Island exhibitor who 

was recently operated on at the Veterans 

Hospital, Providence, is taking it easy at his 

Pawtucket home . Currier, the new 

owner of the Key Ttieatre, Meredith, N. H., 

. is doing his own buying and booking 

Peter Turcotte, owner of the Star, Newmarket, 

N. H., is turning the theatre into 

a warehouse. The policy had been a oneday-a-week 

showing before the decision was 

made . for his summer trade at 

the Gem, Vinal Haven, Me., Hud Conway 

is now on a policy of two weekly changes. 

John Feloney, former 20th-Fox manager. 

IMAGE & SOUND SERVICE CORP. 

"The Best Value In Sound Service" 

Hancock 6-7984 

445 StaMer Building 

has joined Buena Vista under manager Herbert 

Schaefer and is selling accounts in Boston 

and New Haven, dividing his time 

between the two cities . . . Joseph J. Schmuck 

and associates have formed a buying and 

booking organization for drive-ins, called the 

Drive-In Theatre Associates of New England, 

Inc., with offices in the Staffer Building. 

NEW AT BOSTON FOX—Al Levy, left, 

who started with 20th -Fox in 1928 as 

office boy in the home office, is the new 

manager of the Boston exchange. Seen 

at right is William Graham, recently 

transferred to Boston as office manager 

from Buffalo. He started with 20th-Fox 

in the cashier's department in the Cincinnati 

exchange in 1942. Levy comes to 

Boston from Pittsburgh where he served 

his first managership with the company, 

winning first or second place in the 

national 20th-Fox drives. The Levys have 

two children. 

When the new Shay Bros, airer, now under 

construction, opens in North Andover, the 

projection booth will be equipped with RCA 

projectors and equipment, installed by Capitol 

Theatre Supply, with Charlie Fish of that 

company supervising the entire project. The 

opening date will be some time in mid-June 

condition of Don Falco, CTS salesman, 

who has been laid up for several months 

with a serious illness, is favorable. After 

spending a few days at m-att Diagnostic Hospital 

for continued medical tests, he returned 

to his home in Cochituate for further 

convalescence. 

Additional ramps to accommodate 220 more 

cars have been added to the Hoosac Drive-In, 

Adams, owned by Charles Morse and Stanley 

Rothenberg. At the same time, a second boxoffice 

has been put into use and the entrance 

road has been widened into foiu- lanes. In 

the concession building. Manager Arthur M. 

Rosenbush has put in a new Frankfurt grille 

with a roll warmer. For this season, the entire 

field has been regraded and ramps rebuilt. 

Massachusetts Tlieatre Equipment installed 

new Century booth equipment and arx 

lamps for Cinemascope. 

Alabama Grosses Drop 

From Southeosf Edition 

BIRMINGHAM—The University of Alabama 

bureau of business research reports 

that theatre receipts in Alabama for 

February were 12.7 per cent under those 

for January. The report also shows that the 

February boxoffice was down only 0.8 per 

cent as compared with 1954. 

Edith Warren has been borrowed from 

Paramount to edit the Cinemascope production, 

"Gim Point," an AA release. 

Boston Grosses Hurt 

By Fine Weather 

BOSTON — "The Prodigal," in its first stk 

here, led the field in a week which s£ 

definite downward trend in grosses. ^^ 

end business was good, but the week 

was victimized by fine weather. 

\ 


Astor- 

Slipper (MGM), 4th 

-To Paris With Love (Continentt 

—Thi; 

3 rd 

Stree 

7th 

-Aide (IFE), 5th wk 

Memorial Escope to Burmo (RKO); Murdei 

Beat (AA) 

Metropolitan Daddy Long Legs (20th-Fox) 

. 

Paramount and Fenway Mod at the World 

(Filmakers); Hunters of the Deep (DCA).... 

Big House U. S. A. (UA); Red Mounto, 

Pilgrim 

rei! 

State and Orpheum 

The Prodigal (MGM). 

Long 'Doctor' Run 

For Hartford 

HARTFORD—"Doctor in the Hiise" 

seemed headed for an extended run afthe 

850-seat Art, having drawn surprisinglyvell 

in its third week. 

Allyn Shotgun (AA); Seven Angry Men (AA. 

Art—Doctor in the House (Rep), 3rd wk 

Against House Five the E M. Loew 

(Col); T 

Master Plon (Astor) 

The Prodigol (MGM); Marauders (MGM). 

Poll 

Palace Anchors Aweigh (MGM); The Long, Lo j 

Trailer (MGM), revivals rt 

Strand— Kiss Me Deadly (UA); Conyon Crossroci 

(UA) 

Prison Combination With 125 Tops! 

In Providence as Grosses Sag 

PROVIDENCE—A combination bill 

"Women's Prison" and "The Bamboo Prfl 

at Loew's State did the top business 

reporting 125 per cent, as all other firs| 

houses failed to report even average grf 

Providence lost another first-run house 

| 

the Westminster Playhouse, which had!< 

offering art films and foreign imports, (ised 

after a brief run. 

' 

Albee The Big Combo (AA) : 75 

Avon Aida (IFE), 2nd wk 85 

Loew's—Women's Prison (Col); Bamboo Prison 

(Col) )I25 

Majestic Violent Saturday (20th-Fox) K 

Strand Mambo (Para) I) 

.- 

'Prodigal' Leads Hevr Haven 

During Slow Week 

NEW HAVEN—"The Prodigal" causl a 

25 per cent increase in receipts at the .iy'i 

biggest theatre, Loew's Poll. Businessiwas 

below normal at the other downtowner' 

. 

College Bedevilled (MGM); Anchors Aweigh' 

(MGM), reissue -, »' 

Paramount Violent Saturday (20th-Fox); Two 

Guns and 

• 

a Badge (AA) 80 

The Prodigal (MGM); The Marouders 

Poll 

(MGM) 

125 

Roger 

Strange in 

Torget Eorth (AA) 

Sherman 

Lady Town (WB); 

 

Town Commission Seekig 

Ways to Halt Drive-In 

BERLIN, CONN.—The town planning Or 

mission has voted to ask the board c si 

lectmen what further action can be tatft W 

block construction of the proposed CUrge 

LeWitt drive-in here. 

James Godfrey, commission chairmaiSBid 

the group also voted to forward to theitate 

traffic commission here, a report givin[tte 

commission's objection on the groundlJiSt/ 

the drive-in would cause traffic congeson. 

"Proving Ground," an A-bomb storjhas 

been acquired by Lind.sley Parsons fc AA 

release. 

84 

BOXOFFICE 

: 

2)1965

' 

M 

., 

lANCOUVER, 

'" 

, J 

recently 

: iributing 

< xhibition 

: word 

; trade 

1 

confii-mation 

[inadian Trade Shows 

tust Cancel Exhibits 

ih'oNTO Because (if inability tn .secure 

a the King Edward Hotel for the 

conventions next fall, no inof 

equipment, confectionery 

companies will be staged 

lu second annual trade show last year 

« lield under the auspices of the Motion 

P are Industry Council of Canada which 

ui It necessary to change the 1955 con- 

(, 

Maon dates because of the switch from 

T into to Vancouver of the all-Canada 

cl'iipionship football game, a drawing card 

1, lit'legates. 

H. JoUey. executive secretary, anof 

the new meeting 

u ^ oil May 12 as follows: 

ctober 26—Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n 

Ontario. 

ctober 31—National Committee, Motion 

pure Exhibitors' Ass'n of Canada. 

member 1-2—Motion Picture Industry 

1 of Canada. 

is awaited as to the date of 

.iniuial awards banquet of the Canadian 

!, 

pure Pioneers, a function usually held 

ding convention week to honor the Canarfi 

Pioneer of the "Vear, but it is expected 

tJt the dinner will be staged November 1 

blley has warned participating organiza- 

„t:is across Canada to advise him without 

"'day regarding new room reservations for 

cvention delegates and observers, Reserva- 

-tns have been cancelled for the week of 

''li'ember 21, the original convention period. 

lirnaby, B. C. Theatreman 

IfKidnaped and Robbed 

B. C—Bill Steel, 34, ownerorator 

of the Cascades Drive-In at Burna 

. 

was kidnaped, clubbed and 

rbed of $1,434 by a masked bandit who 

I't poured him a glass of sherry. 

'he bandit, who wore a pair of aii'man's 

& glasses and a mask over the lower half 

c his face, was waiting for Steel and his 

rther when they returned home after the 

rlnight show. When they entered the hall, 

1^ clubbed Steel and tied up both of them. 

I forced them into their car, drove them 

t ;he 

theatre and commanded Steel at gun- 

'-I?nt to take the money from the safe. 

:» liter locking the pair in the projection 

r m, the robber fled in the Steel car which 

f abandoned on Renfrew near Grandview. 

'he gunman had taken $16 from Mrs. 

Sel's purse when he first accosted them 

t later returned that money when Mrs. 

el told him she needed it to buy groceries. 

!6i Shaking of the main robbery, he told Steel, 

"n son'y I have to do this. I hope it won't 

your business and I hope the money 

-- t'nsured." 

• at Steel's suggestion, the bandit poured a 

-•?5S of sherry for his mother after he had 

t nd her wrists. "I know where it is," 

t man said, "I had some while I was 

»' ting for you." 

*!) 

Manage Drive-In 

!AMILTON, ONT.—Bus Hodgins, formerly 

c :he Mohawk Drive-In, Toronto, has been 

' lied manager of the Mountain Theatre 

le. 

No Toll TV Scare Here, 

Says TV Columnist 

MONTREAL—According to a column, 

"TViewing With Bernard Dube," in the Montreal 

Gazette, local theatre exhibitors do not 

appear to share the fears of their American 

counterparts over Hollywood's pronounced 

interest in latching onto TV coin. 

"Opinions vaiy on the question," wrote 

Dube. "Local theatre operators tend to go 

along with some American exhibitors who 

believe that in the long run, Hollywood's 

intrusion in TV will pay off in bigger theatre 

receipts." 

He quoted one exhibitor : "We have to face 

it. TV is here to stay. As long as we offer 

good solid entertainment in theatres, people 

will come. The smaller theatres that only 

show second grade stuff may suffer; however, 

it's too early yet to say how much." 

Joe 'Pop' Shriner, 68, 

Dead in New Zealand 

TORONTO—Recent death of a prominent 

New Zealand theatre manager, Joseph 

Anthony Shi'iner, 68, has been learned here 

by Keith G. Can-ick, who was formerly associated 

with him. "Pop" Shi-iiaer, who had 

been manager of the Civic in Auckland for 

ten years, retired because of illness in March 

1954. A former comedian and showman, he 

had worked in several theatres before going 

to the Civic. 

"He remained to his death every inch a 

showman, for which he was rated as New 

Zealand's top theatre manager," said Carrick. 

"He will be affectionately remembered, also, 

by perhaps thousands of ex-GI's who visited 

the Century and later the Civic Theatre and 

Caberet. He played host to sometimes dozens 

of servicemen per day and was always intensely 

pi'oud of his birthplace, America." 

Carrick knew Shriner during World War n 

when he was manager at the Centm-y, a 

downtown theatre in Auckland. Carrick was 

then assistant with the same chain. Amalgamated 

Theatres, which is part of Skouras' 

20th-century Southern Hemisphere operation 

now. 

Born in New York, Shriner was in the 

show business all his life. He traveled in 

the United States working with stars such 

as Fred Astaire, Will Rogers and Al Jolson. 

He fu-st went to New Zealand in 1935 as a 

comedian in the Clem Dawe show, and his 

work so impressed M. J. Moodabe, head of 

Amalgamated Theatres, that he offered him a 

managerial contract. 

But Shriner, who had married Ann Luciano 

who acted in the same show, went to England 

with the show, and when it disbanded 

a year later returned to accept Moodabe's 

offer. 

Shriner is survived by his wife. 

Third Week for 'Three' 

At Toronto Art House 

TORONTO—The International Cinema had 

Ontario Censors Want 

'Toned Down Pictures 

TORONTO—The official report of O. J. 

Silverthorne, director of the Ontario board 

of motion picture cen-sors, for the 1954-55 

fiscal year contains a subtle warning to film 

producers to tone down scenes of crime, 

violence and passion in future pictures. 

After pointing out that the British board 

of film censors had rejected six Hollywood 

features with such themes, Silverthorne 

asserted, "Though not employed during the 

past year, the Ontario board's restricted classification, 

which limits certain pictures to 

persons over 18 years of age, will be utilized 

if needed." 

The report noted a decrease in features 

suitable for the whole family, with 21 per cent 

of submitted product requiring revision or 

adult classification, or both, at the hands of 

the Ontario censors. This percentage was 

greater than in the preceding year. Moreover, 

for the first time in several years, one 

feature had been condemned outright. 

The year saw a reduction in the number 

of submitted features from the United States 

but a strikingly large increase in foreignlanguage 

pictures, mostly of Italian, French, 

West German and Russian origin. The total 

of all films was about 10 per cent below 

the figure for the previous year, while the 

footage of feature-length pictures dropped 

from 5,390,000 to 4,700,000 feet. 

The origin and number of examined features 

were; United States, 306; United Kingdom, 

77; Italy, 80; West Germany, 28: 

Soviet Russia, 12; Fi'ance, 10; Japan, 3, and 

Canada, India, Denmark, Poland, Mexico 

and Brazil one each. 

The report said that 5 per cent of Ontario 

theatres had closed in the 12 months, six 

exhibitors had been prosecuted for infractions, 

and that licenses of 11 theatres had 

been temporarily suspended insofar as matinee 

shows were concerned because matrons 

had not been provided for juvenile patrons. 

The licenses of seven projectionists were 

suspended for stated periods. 

During the year 29,340 pieces of advertising 

were inspected, 2,252 fewer than in the previous 

fiscal period. The board rejected 132 

items, with 109 other pieces being approved 

after treatment by distributors. 

and Victory theatres, 

it three ways with the British picture, "Three 

Cases of Murder," holding for a third week. 

The Hollywood stepped in with "The Belles 

of St. Trinian's." 

The Italian lineup for the week consisted 

of "Corona di Ferro" at the Pylon; "Pescatore 

e Piisilleco" at the Studio and "II Cavaliere 

Misterioso" at Major's St. Clair. 

Three Managers Charged 

With Game of Chance 

SASKATOON—Three Saskatoon theatremen 

are scheduled to appear in a preliminary 

hearing in city court about May 16 to answer 

charges of conducting a game of chance in 

connection with a feature advertised as 

"Foto-Nite." 

"Foto-Nite" is sponsored by Sterling Films, 

a Toronto company, and is promoted elsewhere 

in Canada. The three theatre managers 

involved here are William Russell of 

Odeon-Morton theatres and N. Resky and 

V. Pastemich, managers of the Broadway 

respectively. 

Andy Anderson, city prosecutor, recently 

read charges against the men of "conducting 

a scheme or operation for the purpose 

of deterniining who were the winners of property 

or money proposed to be given away by 

a mode of chance." Anderson said the defendants 

were retaining counsel from outside the 

province. 

E SOFFICE : : May 21, 1955 E 85

, . The 

. . The 

— 

— 

— 

MONTREAL 

Tnternational Varieties of 1955, sponsored by 

the Variety Club of Toronto to raise money 

for Variety Village for Crippled Children, 

started at the Montreal Fomm Monday (9) 

and moved on to Ottawa. Toronto, Kitchener, 

Hamilton and London, Ont. George Formby, 

the English comedian, was the star of the 

show , Imperial Theatre, where "This 

Is Cinerama" has been showing for five 

months and has already broken all local 

attendance and gross records, hosted groups 

of students from Montreal and the province, 

who also were taken up for a visit to the 

projection booths under the direction of 

chief projectionist Early McClintock. 

A local postman was sentenced to a fine of 

$25 and costs for failing to distribute circulars 

posted by the Bellevue Theatre of Pointes-aux- 

Trembles . latest issue of Eye Witness, 

the new screen magazine produced by National 

Film Board and distributed by Columbia 

Pictures, concerns what may well be 

Canada's most musical two weeks at Otter 

Lake near here and the distant Arctic where 

Canadian Eskimos hold their Easter Parade 

on the shores of Baffin Island. 

Roma-Canada Film, distributors of foreign 

films in 35mm and 16mm, is moving into new 

quarters at 6713 Casgrain Ave., the Canadian 

head office. Mario Novati and Joe Peoli 

dii'ect Canadian operations, while in Italy 

it is under the management of Joseph Fryd 

. . . Accountant Guy Day has joined Montreal 

Poster Exchange . . . Jack Labow, Toronto. 

RKO district manager, was in conferring 

with Harry Cohen, manager of the 

June Roworth, office 

Montreal office . . . 

worker at RKO, is leaving to take up residence 

at Toronto. 

Jack Roher is back in town after spending 

some ten days in New York City . . . Lorne 

Etienne, head of the UACL art department, 

spent a weekend trout fishing at his lodge 

at Weir . . . John Levitt. Columbia sales 

representative, left for Quebec on a business 

trip . . . Art Bell, booker at RKO, motored to 

Ottawa . . . Visiting Pilmrow were Henry 

Lodge of the Lise Theatre, Asbestos; Dr. 

E. Guibord of the Palace, Grand 'Mere; Mr. 

and Mrs. Leduc of the Normandie, Ste. Martine; 

Eîgene Venne, the Avalon, Longueuil; 

Y. Gilbert, the Frontenac, St. Gedeon-de- 

Beauce, and Edgar Dufour of the St. Jovite, 

St. Jovite, Quebec. 

Only So-So Business 

At Toronto Theatres 

TORONTO~The best of the local first 

runs was "East of Eden," which was held for 

s fifth week at two Famous Players units, the 

University and Eglinton. There were three 

ether holdovers, "Battle Cry" in its third 

week at the Imperial, and a second week of 

"The Blackboard Jungle" at Loew's and 

"The Wages of Fear" at the Hyland. 


Eglinton, University East of Eden (WB), 5th wk.. 95 

Hyland The Wages of Fear (JARO), 2nd wk 100 

Imperial Boftle Cry WB), 3rd wk 100 

Loew's The Blackboord Jungle (MGM), 2nd wk. . .105 

Nortown The Country Girl 

i Para) 110 

Odeon 

(JARO) Simbo, Mark of Mau Mau 105 

Shea's Run for Cover (Para) 110 

Tivoli White Feather (20th-Fox) 1 00 

Towne The Informer (RKO), reissue 100 

Uptown The Eternol Sea (Rep) 105 

Vancouver Boxoiiices 

Continue to Slump 

VANCOUVER—Business still was far below 

average here. "A Man Called Peter," in its 

thu-d week at the Vogue did steady business. 

"The Long Gray Line" and "Underwater," 

were under average at the Capitol and 

Orpheum and both were out m six days. The 

Strand, with "New York Confidential," did 

above average. 

Capitol The Long Gray Line (Col) Fair 

Orpheum Underwater (RKO) Fair 

Paradise Battle Toxi (UA), The Big Chose 

(LP) 

Foir 

Plaza The Looters (U-l) Fair 

Strand New York Confidential (WB) Good 

Studio Mr. Hulot's Holiday (IFD), 2nd wk Fair 

Vogue A Man Called Peter (20fh-Fox), 3rd wk.Good 

Ontario Censors Label 

Six Films for Adults 

TORONTO—The Ontario board of 

motion 

picture censors has classified the following 

features a.s adult entertainment: "Big House, 

U. S. A.." "End of the Affair," "New York 

Confidential," "Wages of Fear," "Gate of 

Hell" and the Italian film "I Met You in 

Naples." 

Chief Censor O. J. Silverthorne also has 

announced that the title "Sensualita" has 

been changed to "Barefoot Savage." 

Installs 'No Parking' Signs 

KAMLOOPS, B. C—The Paramount Theatre 

recently was given permission by city 

coimcil to install "No Parking" signs at the 

frontage of the theatre, according to Manager 

P. A. Tucker. 

I 

HANDY

, il 

: 

jlfter 

lor 

; tor 

. . . Barney 

. . Purely 

. . Long 

. . Meyer 

. . International's 

PRONTO 

/irley Posen, former office manager and 

chief booker of Allied Independent Theft.'s 

of Ontario, and now owner of the Kent. 

h' joined the Motion Picture Theatres Ass'n 

Manager Mel Jolley of the 

OiOntario . . . 

Citm'y in Hamilton had an outstanding att 

?tion for his juvenile show last Saturday 

II mint; in the stage appearance of Hal 

ner, star of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 

iiball team . . . District Manager Lloyd 

1 , 

of Famous Players drive-in theatres 

b announced completion of the installation 

Cinemascope equipment in the Sunset 

aBrantford and the Mohawk at Hamilton, 

f owing the Skyway project at Stoney Creek. 

'hester Friedman was back on the job as 

[Dlicity director for MGM of Canada fol- 

1 -.ns a hospital stay in Montreal, where 

Fred Fink, new 

ame suddenly ill . . . 

of the 692-seat Brock, has comthe 

remodeling of the neighborhood 

including a widescreen, candy bar, 

improvement and smoking loges. At 

1, 

Kenwood, the matinee price has been 

I uced to 20 cents . . . Jackie Rae is taking 

tT Jack Arthur's main spot in the weekly 

iC Mr. Showbusiness program, now that 

- 

: May 

Criticizes Censorship 

Of Films in Alberta 

EDMONTON, ALTA.—A former member of 

the National Film Board, speaking at the 

Cosmopolitan Club here recently, said he 

thought film censorship in Alberta is more 

restricted than it should be. Ronald Nablo, 

supervisor of visual training at the University 

of Alberta, said he recognized the need for 

some censoring to remove obscenities from 

films but that he did not know of anyone 

entitled to be a judge of the degree of 

censoring a film. 

"We have to be careful of the things we 

are going to censor—the film is a medium 

persons enjoy watching," he said. 

Recommending more interest in other 

lands and peoples in this and other provinces. 

Nablo said, "Albertans are narrow-mmded 

on the international scene." He said no "idea" 

should be censored from films or any other 

media for then some persons would be missing 

thoughts of other peoples and nations. He 

concluded by urging more understanding of 

other peoples "so that we may experience 

their lives and thoughts—or at least see 

them on the screen." 

Special VV Screening 

Is Held at Imperial 

TORONTO—The first 

view of 70mm Vista- 

Vision in Canada was afforded to a large audience 

of invited representatives of the industry, 

press, radio and television Sunday (8) 

at a special screening in the Famous Players' 

Imperial of "Strategic Air Command." 

Hosts for the historic occasion were Paramount 

Pictures, for which Gordon Lightstone 

is Canadian general manager, and Famous 

Players Canadian Corp. The screening 

was a highly-impressive test run, preceding 

the scheduled debut of the process on May 20. 

The new screen measures 1,377 square feet, 

compared with the previous 810 square feet. 

The process and equipment were described 

by Frank LeOrande of the Paramount home 

office at a previous press luncheon in the 

Toronto Variety clubrooms. 

New Hamilton Drive-In 

TORONTO—Dominion Sound Equipments 

supplied and installed the sound and projection 

equipment in the recently-opened 

Hamilton Drive-In, which boasts a screen 

measuring 55x110 feet, a capacity of 1,200 

cars on 18 ramps and a self-service restaurant, 

according to details supplied by Manager 

Joseph Dydzak. 

CS Now at Roxy 

HIGH PRAIRIE, ONT.—George Watson, 

owner of the Roxy Tlieatre, recently installed 

a screen for CinemaScope. 

TELL YOUR PATRONS 

MWAYS / ABOUT IT WITH A 

ALWAYslÛ^J[jl]UU 

"""-'TRAILER 

467 SPADINA AVE. TORONTO, ONT. 

"Exclusive Canadian Distributor For Filmack" 

on AVJ A 

Crawley Films has been commissioned to 

produce a progress film of the St. Lawrence 

seaway project by Canadian General Electric 

Co. It will be titled "Power and Passage" . . . 

Two high officials of the Canadian Broadcasting 

Corp., General Manager J. A. Ouimet 

and A. Davidson Dunton, chairman of the 

board of governors, have practically told exhibitors 

to stop worrying about color television. 

Both said it would be a long time 

before the CBC will have color TV because 

of the expense involved. 

A group of RCAF brass, including five 

flyers who took part in the smashing of hydro 

plants in Germany during the second world 

war, flew from Ottawa to London, England, 

to attend the May 17 premiere of "The 

Dambusters." One of them was Wing Commander 

J. C. McCarthy of Ottawa. 

The city has raised the municipal license 

fee for drive-ins from $75 to $100 which 

brings the three local drive-ins more in line 

with roofed theatres on the annual fee . . . 

Nicholas Monsarrat, who recently returned 

from a stay in South Africa where he gathered 

material for a book, announced that he 

will resign as director of the United Kingdom 

Information Office here to devote time 

to his writing. He is the author of "The 

Cruel Sea" on which the J. Arthur Rank 

picture was based. 

Manager E. Crawford of the Biltmore in 

Kingston was kind to mothers for the engagement 

of "Rear Window" when he gave 

free admission to every mother with three 

or more children and every mother over 60 

or under 20 years of age. 

Film Financing Group 

In Britain Shows Gain 

MONTREAL—The state-sponsored Natiof 

The film society division of the Canadian 

al Film Finance Corp., Great Britain, whii 

Film Institute became the Canadian Federation 

of Film Societies at a reorganization 

lends money to aid film production, in lii 

earned It)255,221 in profits from films whii 

meeting held here. Charles W. Brown of 

it has financed in the past, the highi; 

London, Ont., was re-elected chairman without 

opposition. Films which had captured 

annual total so far reports The (Londo 

Financial Times, 

1954 Canadian awards, not including National 

Total income of the NFFC exceeded expej 

Film Board's "Stratford Adventure." were diture in the year ended March 31, 19^ 

screened for members. 

by rb204,974. Against this, however, v 

charged provision for losses on loans . 

Winnipeg Airers Join 

In Win-a-Car Night 

WINNIPEG—Perfect example of merchant 

cooperation is the tie-in made between five 

local drive-ins—the Airport, Starlite, Cii-cus, 

Eldorado and Pembina—and Winnipeg Motor 

Products, Pontiac dealer. Frequent attendance 

and registration of patrons at these 

five ozoners makes them eligible for Win-a- 

Car night. A 1955 Pontiac was obtained by 

the exhibitors promoted at cost from the 

distributor. 

In a half-page ad Winnipeg Motor Pi-oducts 

announced 100 drive-in theatre season passes 

would be given free to the first 100 buyers 

of used cars listed at $500 or more. The passes 

will be good for the entire season for all 

occupants of the cars purchased. 

The ads list all participating drive-ins. 

Promotion was originated and promoted by 

Starlite owner Cy Brownstone. All advertising 

pertaining to this campaign is being 

handled by Harry Gray of the Lyceum and 

Brownstone. 

Paul Fix has been ticketed for a character 

role in Warners' "Giant." 

tb415,994, so that the deficiency on operatic? 

for the year amounted to rb211,020. T5 !^ 

brought the accumulated deficiency of 1; 

corporation since its inception to tt)3,780,5:. 

Commenting on film production, the rept 

of NFFC says that profit depends upon maitenance 

of attendance figui-es in spite if 

competition from television, maintaining )• 

improving terms of film hire, the furtlr 

development of overseas markets, and 

increase in producers' revenue from the Elfish 

Film Production Fund. 

"If British film production is to stand k 

its own feet financially, it appears essenll 

that producers receive through this funci 

materially larger share of any future benit 

to the industry from a reduction in entertament 

tax than they received in the yjr 

under review." 

George Formby Show 

Draws $17,300 Benefit 

TORONTO—The George Formby benlt 

show at Maple Leaf Gardens drew justuni 

$17,300 for the one performance, Appeances 

in other cities on the one-week ti 

will swell the funds for the Variety Villp 

Vocational School. 

The Lancashire film comedian and his ^ft 

were guests of Chief Barker H. S. ManI 

and directors of the Toronto Variety Til 

before the show. 

An honorary life membership, in the ft 

of a gold plaque, was given to Formby i 

intimated that a heart condition would foife 

another charity tour in Canada. 

Life memberships in the Toronto Tent 'tili 

been presented previously to Daimy Kf 

who officiated at the opening of Var 

;; 

Village, and the Duke of Edinburgh, coaf 

of Queen Ehzabeth II. 

Welcome Stewart McQu

I 

ige 

I 

they 

. It 

I 

one 

. 

berg, 

I 

— 

OXOf fICP D D ii J JU^ JJ J D 

4 

e EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY ABOUT PICTURES 

ALLED ARTISTS 

ghway Dragrnet (AA)—Richard Cont^, 

1 Bennett, Wanda Hendrix. A very well 

; crime picture that will please patrons. 

of your people think it is the "Dragnet" 

ise copied after the TV show. Business 

because of Lent. Played Wed., Tliurs. 

ajer: Okay.—D. W. Trisko, Runge Thea- 

Bunge, Tex. Small-town and rural pa- 

COLUMBIA 

^ the Waterfront (Col)—Marlon Brando, 

Maiden, Lee J. Cobb. Sunday was above 

ige but Monday and Wednesday dropped 

le usual low. A very tense and gripping 

a. A few stayed to see it through a second 

should win its share of the awards 

If you're smart enough to have it dated 

are awarded instead of before the 

'ntation like us, you should make money. 

;d Sun., Mon., Wed. Weather: Cold.— 

ard and Audrey Fritz, Tic Toe Theatre, 

' Cheer, Iowa. Population 1,200. 

le Waterfront (Col)—Marlon Brando, 

ilden, Lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint. 

you might like to know the reacime 

of our customers to "Waterof 

the cast turned in top-flight 

ices. The picture was good to better 

han usual, even though we had to 

and date with two other theatres. 

of the best I've seen in years. 

tto see a good story and cast comould 

have more like them. My opinif 

you haven't booked it, book it. 

Pl:d Wed., Thurs.. Pri. Weather: Fair and 

wail.—Frank Phillips, Nortown Theatre, 

Pit, Mich. Population 185,000. Industrial 

pat nage. 

Iffft (Col>—Judy Holliday, Jack Lemmon, 

la- Carson. This is a good sophisticated 

swdy but over the heads of our patrons. 

m^ high school junior class use it as a 

nit show, which helped keep the busiiei 

for the run near normal. Patrons' com- 

Bes: Unfavorable. Played Sun., Mon. 

jtêher: Nice.—Michael Chiaventone, Valley 

nitre, Spring Valley, 111. Population 5,000. 

"Vent Men, The (Col)—Glenn Ford, Bar- 

«.'' 

Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson. This 

More is as good as "Shane," and in 'Scope 

t Is a little the edge on it. The picture is 

from most of the sagebrushers and 

lui-ent 

jHhold the interest from start to finish. 

'la Ford turns in an exceljent perform- 

»'. as do Stanwyck and Robinson. This is 

«'iicture that will get good word-of-mouth 

your patrons. Played the Academy 

W d cartoon "When McGoo Flew" with this 

Bt t was very good. Business slightly above 

JVge. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: 

J

— 

j 

: 

The 

EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY 

(Continued from preceding page) 

Coaticook, Que. Small-town and rural patronage. 

Shanghai Story (Rep)—Ruth Roman, Edmond 

O'Brien, Richard Jaeckel. Good timely 

story of inside Red China. Edmund O'Brien 

should be popular since capping his Oscar. 

He's tops in this one. Although business was 

poor, I am glad we played this one. Played 

Fri., Sat. Weather: Rain.—Michael Chiaventone, 

Valley Theatre, Spring Valley, 111. Population 

5,000. 

20th CENTURY-FOX 

Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (20th-Fox)—Robert 

Wagner. Terry Moore, Gilbert Roland. 

A very few of our patrons were curious about 

what happened in this one but not enough 

to help out with payments on remodeling 

and equipment it took to run. the picture, so 

we got hurt, which seems to be the answer 

with all of these oldies. Don't run them unless 

you get a bargain. They are good enough 

but have been milked dry. Played Tues., Wed., 

Thrn-s. Weather: Fine.—Mayme P. Musselman, 

Roach Theatre, Lincoln, Kas. Smalltown 

and rural patronage. 

Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (20th-Fox)— 

Robert Wagner, Terry Moore, Gilbert Roland. 

Interesting picture with very clear underwater 

shots. It drew very well with Lent 

and school doings for competition. Played 

Wed., Thurs. Weather: Nice.—D. W. Trisko, 

Runge Theatre, Runge, Tex. Small-town and 

rural patronage. 

Prince Valiant (20th-Fox)—James Mason, 

Janet Leigh, Robert Wagner. Here is another 

of those pictures filmed in England about 

knights of old. The crowds were down, but 

this was expected as it hit 42 below the first 

night, 38 below the second, and 20 below 

the third. Comments were good but have had 

too many of these lately in Cinemascope and 

all are fed up with these now as there is not 

much difference in knights of the round 

table. There is nice acting by all in this picture, 

but truthfully it is not a small-town 

feature. One of these pictures every six months 

is enough. Sound, color and print in excellent 

condition. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Couldn't 

be worse at the North Pole.—Sam Holmberg, 

C. H Grass. Regal Theatre, Sturgis, Saskatchewan. 

Small-town and rural patronage. 

White Witch Doctor (20th-Fox) — Susan 

Hayward, Robert Mitchum, Walter Slezak. 

We played this one three months behind a 

neighboring drive-in so it was pretty old. 

How on earth do you all catch up enough 

to have a product shortage? We could stand 

a little shortage of product here. Played 

Sun., Mon. Wed. Weather: Cold.—Richard 

aud Audrey Fritz, Tic Toe Theatre, What 

Cheer, Iowa. Small-town and rural patronage. 

Woman's World, A (20th-Fox)—Clifton 

Webb, June Allyson, Van Heflin. This is a 

good woman's picture. If they bring the men 

with them, you'll do okay. In our 'Situation-, 

the men must have been at a stag party. 

Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold.—Michael 

Chiaventone, Valley Theatre, Spring Valley, 

111. Small-town patronage. 

Woman's World (20th-Fox)—Clifton Webb, 

June Allyson, Van Heflin. Very good, we 

thought, and enjoyed by a very satisfactory 

crowd the 'first night; then took a nosedive 

the second. Comments on it were very good. 

Played Tues., Wed., Thurs. Weather: Good. 

Paul Ricketts, The Charm Theatre, Holyrood, 

Kas. Small-town and rural patronage. 

UNITED ARTISTS 

Apache (UA)—Burt Lancaster, Jean Peters, 

John Mclntyre. A good picture with plenty 

of excitement. Business off due to cold 

weather. This picture should do better than 

average in many locations but Indian shows 

here are getting to be a thing of the past. 

Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Cold but 

clear.-D. W. Trisko, Runge Theatre, Runge, 

Tex. Small-town and rural patronage. 

Southwest Passage (UA)—Rod Cameron, 

Joanne Dru, John Ireland. This action epic 

was a little different from some and was very 

good. Used four cartoons and newsreel to 

please an average weekend business. Played 

Fri., Sat. Weather: Snow in April.—W. L. 

Stratton, Lyric Theatre, Challis, Ida. Population 

700. 

Twist of Fate (UA)—Ginger Rogers, 

Jacques Bergerac, Herbert Lyon. Pretty good 

story. Most of those we got in enjoyed it. Had 

a $200 bank to help. Okay for midweek. 

Played Wed., Thurs. Weather: Cold.—Michael 

Chiaventone, Valley Theatre, Spring Valley, 

111. Population 5,000. 

Vice Squad (UA)—Edward G. Robinson, 

Paulette Goddard, Porter Hall. Not one of 

Robinson's best but still a very good picture. 

Well-liked here, bought at a good price and 

brought in some money. No complaints. 

Played Mon., Tues. Weather: Good.—Fred L. 

Murray, Strand Theatre, Spiritwood, Sask. 

Small-town and rural patronage. 

UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL 

Four Guns to the Border (U-D—Rory Calhoun, 

Colleen Miller, George Nader. No 

matter what kind of westerns we have, they 

still seem to be the favorite type of entertainment 

for most fans. Good color and 

acting in this. Comments good. No kick of 

Such a Masterpiece 

Should Draw a Crowd 

•THE CAINE MUTINY (Col)—Humphrey 

Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Van Johnson. 

Worthy of all the praise, and for once 

the movie follows the book. But it is a 

shame the number of people who missed 

this fine film, as business was fair, and 

a masterpiece like this should have been 

a top boxoffice. But as yet TV has my 

patrons—too many of them. 

KEN CHRISTIANSON 

Roxy Theatre 

Washburn, N. D. 

any kind. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Cold.— 

Walt and Ida V. Breitling, Comfrey Theatre, 

Comfrey, Minn. Population 1,000. 

Francis Covers Big Town (U-I)—Donald 

O'Connor, Yvette Dugay, Gene Lockhart. 

Just another Francis picture. My patrons 

are getting a little tired of this run; however, 

this was a little better than the average 

Francis. Went over very well and drew 

more than the 100 per cent. I don't like any 

of them but that doesn't count. Played Fri., 

Sat. Weather: Good.—F. L. Murray, Strand 

Theatre, Spiritwood, Sask. Small-town and 


Rails Into Laramie (U-D—John Payne, 

Mari Blanchard, Dan Duryea. Most folks 

thought this was a rousing good western 

and were free with their compliments. A 

good supporting cast makes it possible for 

John Wayne to turn in his most convincing 

role to date. Since it had been milked in 

every situation in the county before it was 

offered to me, I resisted their asking price, 

and fortunate it was for me, as it gave us 

the poorest midweek in some time . . but 

. 

business enough to show a profit. Played 

still 

Wed., Thurs. Weather: Nice.—Bob Walker, 

Uintah Theatre, Pruita, Colo. Small-town and 

rui-al patronage. 

War Arrow (U-I)—Maureen O'Hara, Jeff 

Chandler, John Mclnth-e. Cavalry-Indian 

story and much better than six plus five 

minus rating given in Review Digest. Westerns 

and action pictures are always discriminated 

against in R. D. Why?—Frank 

Sabin, Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. Sm'i,; 

town asid rural patronage. 

Wings of the Hawk (U-D—Van He:a' 

Julia Adams, Abbe Lane. This could 

a drama as well as a western. 

be caij 

The scf 

; 

in this picture take place in Mexico. It js' 

a fair story which seems more realistic t.n 

most action pictures of its type, did a iî 

business and was well received. Played 

Sat. Weather: Fail-.—F. L. Murray, 

1., 

Stnd 

Theatre, Spiritwood, Sask. Small-town id 


WARNER BROS. 

' 

Dial M for Murder (WB)—Ray jpi| 

Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings. l^lsQ 

another of Hitchcock's thrillers and it 

as fine as any he has made. I wish we oS 

play more of this type. Wonderful entertfi 

ment and it is easy to see why Grace 

won the Academy Award. Crowds were siji 

but we are getting used to that. Played I 

Mon., Tues. Weather: Nice.—Evelyn V. 

gess, Roxy Theatre, McClusky, N. D. Pop^ 

tion 900. 

High and the Mighty, The (WB) — 

J] 

Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day. A 

picture, but no small town can live 

buy or hope to stay in business at 50 (a 

cent. Do the film companies want the s 

towns to stay open? I don't believe so. îi 

business but we lost. Played Sun., Mon., Ips 

Weather: Fair.—Ken Christiansen, Roxy ;[& 

atre, Washburn, N. D. Population 900. 

She's Working Her Way Through Co'igt 

(WB)—Virgina Mayo, Ronald Reagan, Cm 

Nelson. This got our hearty approval. Id 

but "bran" new to us and mighty enterto 

Ing. The school kids all showed up butta 

adults let the title scare 'em away. Pliia 

Tues., Wed. Weather: Okay.—Frank SiSn 

Majestic Theatre, Eureka, Mont. 

Track of the Cat (WB)—Robert Mitcl^ 

Teresa Wright, Diana Lynn. When Waia 

promises you something that's what you jet 

They sold me a picture called "Track" oijlu 

Cat—it was my business if I was foli' 

enough to assume that I would actuallv! 

the cat that made the tracks. That's 1 

such a bad idea, however. I wish I hsp 

seen "Them" some weeks ago; maybe itfa 

just "Them's" eggs it laid—or "The 4* 

From 20,000 Fathoms." I personally enjjf 

"Track of the Cat," and my take in pi 

nights just about took care of the ha 

"nut" not counting film rental. HowH 

this was not the fault of the picture.—V I 

Funk, Star Theatre, St. Stephen, S( 

Population 1,000. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

This Is Your Army (Documentary |is 

tributed by major companies^—We use 

run this type of propaganda as a p' 

service for the government. Now they cbg 

us feature price for it, and the boys 

actually saw service panned it pi 

Doubled with "Black Dakotas." Played Tlrs 

Fri., Sat. Weather: GoDd.—M W. Long, .fi 

Theatre, Lansing, Iowa. Population 1,50 

Private Hell 36 (Filmakers)—Ida LukM 

Steve Cochran, Howard Duff. Fairly « 

show and favorable comments. Would hill 

recommend for Sunday, Monday, but 

knows nowadays? Played Sun., Mon. We 

er: Cloudy and cold.—Terry A.xley, New Tfa 

tre, England, Ark. Small-town and : 

patronage. 

Mark of the Lash (Lippert)—Reissue 

"Lash" LaRue, Al "Fuzzy" St. John, m 

Crandall. I tried this old Lash LaRue p< 

believe me, it was better for me than son 

the big Technicolor westerns I play on SiU 

day. You won't go wrong. Colored palin 

love Al "Fuzzy" St. John. They think « 

okay, also.—W. S. Funk, Star Theatres 

Stephen, S. C. Small-town and rural paW 

age. 

t 

t

I 1 13) 

[ 

[ 

olysis of lay ond trodepress reviews. The plus ond minus signs Indicate degree of 

not rated. Listings cover nt reviews, brought up to dote regularly. 

ALPHABETICAL INDEX to tcoturc 

?r. For listings by company, in the order 

Very Good; + Good; — Fair; — Poor; — Very Poor. In the summary U is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses. 

cai]a.S Izo 

>t and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops 

Comedy U-1 2- S-55 + 

stello Meet the Mummy (79) 

, U-l 5- 7-55 + 

.lures of Hajji B.iha, The 

jma (93) 20lh-Fox 10-16-54 :± 

ili,r« ol Robinson Crusoe (90) Drama UA 6- 5-54 ff 

. of Sadie, The (75) 

20th-Fox 

v.inhunt (65) Ady-Drama Rep 2-26-55 — 

(110) Musical I.F.E. 7-31-54 + 

ISlrile () Drama LP 

i| I Bride (83) Comedy U-l 6- 5-54 + 

The (87) Drama RKO 1-8-55 + 

I (..) Drama 2Cth.Fox 

al Farm (75) Satire OCA 1-15-55 + 

>A(iiolis Story. An (81) Drama AA 3-26-55 + 

3urna (58) Documentary. . Hayer-Kinnsley 2- 6-54 + 

(90) Draroa UA 7-3-54 + 

•he Dust (80) Drama AA .4-17-54 + 

,) Musical MGM 11- 6-54 +f 

imJ. The (86) Comedy Rep 12-18-54 ± 

+ 

± + ± ++ - 7+4- 

+ ± ± ± 6+4- 

- + ± - It 5+5- 

+ + +++++ 1»+1- 

Day at Black Rock (82) Western.. MGM 

•00 Prison (SO) Drama Col 

Bloot Contessa. The (128)' Drama UA 

t Cry (148) Drama WB 

e Taxi (82) Drama UA 

icomber. The (82) Drama UA 

B| Brummell (107) Drama MGM 

its of the Night (84) Comedy UA 

B illed (83) Drama MGM 

I Brigade (87) Drama U-l 

B( ytd (108) Drama MGM 

BfChase. The (60) Drama LP 

B'lombo (89) Drama AA 

B -louse. U.S.A. (82) Crime Drama UA 

B;rip Off, The (77) Drama AA 

b; board Junole. The (100) Drama MGM 

B' Oaliolas, The (55) Western Col 

B| Horse Canyon (82) Western..-. U-l 

B Knijht, The (85) Drama Col 

Bl Pirates, The (74) Drama LP 

bI Shield of Falworth, The 

00) Drama U-l 

bI 13 (75) Drama 20lh-Fox 

B| Tuesday (80) Drama UA 

BI Widow (95) Drama 20th-Fox 

b| Mathias Story, The (80) Drama AA 

6l:y Hunter, The (88) Western WB 

B |ry Boys Meet the Monsters (66) 

"ncdy 

AA 

Biyto Baodad (64) Comedy AA 

Bl . Love and Dreams (90) Drama. . I.F.E. 

BJts al Toko.Ri. The (105) Drama. ..Para 

Bidoon (108) Musical MGM 

Bin Lance (96) Western 20th-Fox 

Bi I for Joey, A (85) Drama UA 

Bit Is Waitino. A (82) Drama Col 

S 

c 

\t\ Mutiny (125) Drama Col 6-19.54++ ++ 

JC^.ceiro (The Bandit) (92) Col 9-11-54 Drama 

8C^bal Attack (68) Drama Col 11-13-54 + ± 

ICin Crossroads (S3) Western Col 3-19-55+ + 

SC) in Kidd and the Slave Girl 

Drama UA 5-29-54+ ± 

ICl in Liohtfoot (92) Drama U-l 2-19-55 ++ + 

BC;;r Jones 10-16-54 (105) Musical 

U; ma Cannonhall (75) Comedy 

20th-Fox 

Rep 

++ 

2- 5-55 ± 

++ 

± 

IC; ova's Big Nijht (85) Comedy Para 3-6-54 + 

± 

•Ci: Oueen of Montana (88) Western.. RKO 11-27-54 + 

•CjVomen of the Moon (64) Drama.. Astor 4-17-54 ± 

• Ci wia Rusticana (114) Opera Aslor 5-22-54 + 

U(!455, Death Row (77) Drama Col 4-16-55 ± ± 

• tlwie the Wild (72) Documentary d* 6-12-54 + 

'CI Crazy Horse (86) Adv-Drama U-l 2-26-55 + + 

Ci of Shadows ( . 

. ) Comedy Rep 

Ci Stands Trill ( ) Drama I.F.E. 

6C< lest of Space (SO) Drama Para 4-9-55++ + 

•C ICE BookinGuide :: May 21, 1955

REVIEW DIGEST ^ very Good; + Good; ± Fair; - Poor; = Very Poor In the summary 14^ is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses. I' 

1

,it 

< 

Co.cr 

: 

uLW 

I Juliet 

A 

++ Very Good; + Good; * Fair; — Poor; — Very Poor. In the sumiTiGry H is rated 2 pluses, — as 2 minuses. 

RtVltWf Dl^kjl 

cir 

JRijs. TTrt (92) Drama 20tli-Fox 2-5-55 + 

iHi'l Blood (76) Drama 20th-Fox 3-27-54 ±: 

, 7 R Dawn (67) Western RKO 3-12-55 + 

Ht (82) Drama 20th-Fox 7-24-54 + 

Laramie (S2) Drama Ul 3-20-54 + 

(112) Drama Para 7-24-54 H 

liv

8 

. 

. 

' 

I 

» 

Feature productions by company in order of release. Number in square is national release date. Runnin .^ 

time is in porentheses. Letters and combinations thereof indicate story type as follows: (C) Comedy; (C< 

Droma; (AD) Adventure-Drama; (CD) Comedy-Drama; (F) Fontasy; (M) Musical; (W) Western; (SW) Supeil 

western. Release number follows, 

Q Color; -^ 3'D; o Wide Screen. 

tj denotes BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award Winner. Photogrophj. 

For review dates and Picture Guide page numbers, see Review Digest 

ALLIED 

ARTISTS 

H Jungle Gents (64) C. .5420 

Loo Gorcey, Huntz Ilall, L&urette Luei 

^Two Guns and a Badge (69). .W. .5427 

Wnyne Morris, Damian OFUnn, B. Bucrott 

COLUMBIA 

©Block Dokotas, The (65) W. .721 

Carv .Merrill. Wanda Uendrli, John Bromfleld 

©Bullet Is Waiting, A (82) D..7I2 

Jean Simmons. liory Calhoun, Stephen UcNilly 

©Caine Mutiny, The (125) D. .701 

Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Jose Ferrer 

Human Desire (90) D..710 

Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, B. Crawford 

LIPPERT 

g li 

Terror Ship (72) W . . 5330 

William Lundlgan 

m silent Roiders (65) D. .5404 

Richard Bartiett. Earle Lyon, Jeanette Bordeaux 

gS Unholy Four, The (80) D. .5401 

Paulette Goddard, WUliam Sylvester 

M-G-M 

HI ©Betrayed (108) 

Lana Turner. Clark Gable, 

UQcBrigadoon (108) 

Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, 

Victbr 

Cyd 

t.50| 

Mat 

Mt'y 

Chartes 

5] Human Jungle, The (82) D..5501 

Gary Merrill, Jan Sterling, Paula Haymonil 

On the Waterfront (108) D . . 702 

.Marhin Brando, Karl Maiden, Lee Cobb 

©Three Hours to Kill (77) 

J. 

W. .720 

Dana Andrews, Donna Reed, Diane Foster 

a Deadly Gome, The (63) D-. .5402 

Lloyd Bridges, FInlay Currle, Slmone SUva 

El Rogue Cop (92) [[j 

Robert Taylor, George Raft, J. Lelgl 

g Bob Mothios Story, The (80) . . D. .5502 

Bob Mathlas, Diane Jergens, Ward Bond 

©Beau Brummell 

I 

(107) [î 

Elizabeth Taylor, Stewart Granger 

a Torget Earth (75) D. .5503 

Virginia Grey, Blcbard Crowley 

Denning, K. 

21 Cry Vengeonce (83) D. .5504 

Mark Stevens, Martba Eyer, Joan Voba 

Affairs of Messalina, The (106). .D. . 

Maria Pelix, Georges Marchal 

©Block Knight, The (85) D. .719 

Alan Ladd, Patricia Medina, Morrell 

A. 

Cannibal Attack (69) D. .718 

Johnny Weissmuller. Judy Walsh, Darld Bruce 

©Fire Over Africa (84) 

D..716 

Maureen O'Hara, Macdonald Carey 

©Atheno (96) 

ts" 

Jane Powell, Vic Damone. Debbie Beyib 

©Lost Time I Saw Paris, The 

(116) V 

Elizabeth Ta>'lor, Van Johnson, Doima ^ 

lU Port of Hell (80) D. .5505 

Dane Clark, Carole Mathews, W. Morris 

a©Tonight's the Night (88) C..5506 

Yvonne De Carlo, David Nlven, B. Fitzgerald 

Phffft (88) 

C..715 

Judy Holiiday, Jack Carson, "J. Lemmon 

©They Rode West (84) W. .717 

Robert Francis, Donna Reed, Phil Carey 

I ©Block Pirates (74) D . . 5407 

Anthony Dexter, Lon Cbaney, Robert Clarke 

m Crest of the Wove (91 ) 

Gene Kelly, John Justin. Jeff Richards 

©Deep in My Heart (132) Ml 

Jose Ferrer, Merle Oberon, Helen Traut 

[U Bowery to Bagdod (-64) C. .5421 

Leo Gorcey, EunU Hall, Eric Blore 

i 

Treasure of Ruby Hills (71). . .W. .5507 

Zacbary Scott, Bart MacLane, C. Mathews 

Bamboo Prison, The (80) D..731 

Robert Francis. Diane Foster, Keith 

Brian 

©Masterson of Kansas (73) W. . 

George Montgomery. Nancy Gates, David Bruce 

©Violent Men, The (96) W. .735 

Glenn Ford, B. Stanwyck. E. G. Bohhison 

HThey Were So Young (80) D. .5406 

Scott Brady, Raymond Burr, Johanna lUatz 

g ©Bod Doy at Block Rock (82) 

Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Anne Fra:S 

J©aGreen Fire (100) A 

Stewart Granger, Grace Kelly, Paid DlU 

a Big Combo, The (89) O. .5508 

Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Richard Conta 

a Murder is My Bcot (77) O..5S10 

Barbara Payton, Paul Langton, Selena Boyle 

©Pirates of Tripoli (72) D. .706 

Patricia Medina. Paul Henreid 

©Ten Wonted Men (80) W. .725 

Randolph Scott, Jocebu Brando, Blchard Boone 

Women's Prison (80) D . . 726 

Ida Luplno, 

Howard Duff, Jan Sterling 

©Jupiter's Darling (95) » .1 

Esther Williams, Howard Keel, George 

©Many Rivers to Cross (95) 

Eleanor Parker, Robert Taylor 

B Diol Red O (62) D. .5509 

Bill Elliott, Keith Larsen, Helene Stanley 

Big Tip Off, The (77) D..5512 

Ilichard Conte, Virginia Grey, Constance Smith 

Seven Angry Men (90) 

D..5511 

Itaymond Massev. Uebra Paget, J. Hunter 

©Annapolis Story, An (81) D..5513 

John Derek. Diana Lynn, Kevin McCarthy 

High Society (61) C. .5514 

Leo Oorcev, Huntz Hall, Amanda Blake 

©Shotgun (80) D..5515 

Sterling Hayden, Scott 

Y. De Carlo, Z. 

Detective, The (86) CD. .734 

Alec Guinness, Joan Greenwood. Peter Klnrf' 

0©aLong Gray Line, The ( 1 38). D.. 736 

Tyrone Power. Maureen O'Hara 

New Orleans Uncensored (76). . .D. .730 

Arthur Franz. Beverly Garland, M. Mszurkl 

©Wyoming Renegades (73). . .W. .727 

Phil Carey, Martha Hyer, Gene Evans 

Jungle Moon Men (70) AD. .744 

Johnny Weissmuller, Helene Stanton 

©Three for the Show (93). . . .M. .737 

Betty Grabie, Marge and Gower Champlou 

g silver Stor, The (73) 

Edgar Buchanan. Marie Windsor, 

..W..5411 

,. Chaney 

m Thunder Over Songolond (73) AD. . 

Jon Hall, Ray Montgomery, Marjorle Lord 

Ell Gloss Tomb, The (59) D. .5409 

John Ireland 

Blockboord Jungle, The (100). 

Glenn Ford. Anne Francis, Louis Calll 

a ©Hit the Deck (112) 

Jane Powell. Tony Martin, Debbie 

..(1.1 /!* 

ReU 1:; 

©cnlnterrupted Melody (106).. 

Eleanor Parker, Glenn Ford, Roger Uik 

g] ©Gloss Slipper, The (94) 

Leslie Caron, Michael Wlldhig, Keenu' 

3 

©Bedevilled (83) 

Anne Baxter, Steve Forrest, Shnone Bitlt 

Las Vcgos Shakedown (77) D. .5516 

Dennis O'Kecfe. Coleen Gray, Chas. Whinlnger 

SQSkobenga (61) Doc. .5517 

Attlcan Tribe 

Cell 2455, Death Row (77) D . . 739 

William Campbell. Marian Carr. Kathryn Grant 

End of the Affair, The (106) D. .724 

Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson. John Mills 

©Seminole Uprising (74) AD. .743 

George Montgomery, Karln Booth 

Tight Spot (97) D . . 728 

Ghiger Rogers, E. 0. Robinson, Brian Eeltk 

B Air Strike (. .) D. .5413 

Richard Denning. Gloria Jean. Don Hagerty 

63 Phantom of the Jungle (75). .AD. . 

Jon Hall, Ray Montgomery, Anne Gwynne 

i 

©Morouders, The (81) 

Dan Duryea, Jeff Richards, Kecnan Wf 

g Lord of the Jungle (69) AD .. 55 1 

Julinny Shetfleld. Wayne Mortis, Nancy C;Hes 

Dark Venture (82) D..55I9 

111 

li'rank Lovejoy, Peggie Castle, Eforrest Tucker 

Five Against the House (84) D. .742 

Guv MadlMin. Kira Novnk Brian Keith 

©Prize of Gold, A (98) D. .738 

Richard Widmark, Mai Zetterling, N. Patrick 

©Love Me or Leave Me (. .). 

Doris Day. James Cacney, C. Mitchell 

©Moonfleet (89) 

Stewart Granger, Viveca LJndfors, J. ai 

Body Snatchers, The D . . 

Kevin McCanliv. liana Wvnter. Carolyn Jonw 

Cose of the Red Monkey (73). .D. .5521 

Iviehard Conte. Kona Anderson, K. Napier 

. 

Jail Busters C. 

l.cu fiorcev. Huntz Hall, Barton MacLane 

Night Freight D.. 

Forrest Tucker, Larsen 

Barbara Brltton, K. 

Phenix City D. . 

Kiley. McTntIre 

IliclianI Kntbryn Grant, John 

Spy Choscrs (61) C. .5522 

C'.nis. Uunn, l.en Hall. Lisa Davis 

©Warriors, The (85) D..5523 

lur.il Klvrin. Joiinne Dru, Peter Flnrh 

©aWichita (81) SW. .5520 

Jnel M.Cre,.. Vera Graves 

Miles, Peter 

Women's Reformatory (64) . . . . D. .5524 

Beverly .Michaels, Tom Drake. Carole Matttievis 

©Bring Your Smile Along M. . 

Frankle Laine. Keefe Brasselle, Connie Towers 

Congoceiro (Bandit, The) (92).. D.. 

Alberto liuschel, Marlsa Prado, M. Rlbeiro 

Chicago Syndicate D. . 

Dennis irKeefe. Xavler Client. Abbo Lane 

©Count Three and Pray (..)., D . 

Van Ileflin, Joainie Woodward, Phil Carey 

©Gun That Won the West D.. 

Dennis Morgan. I'aula Raymond, R. Denning 

It Came From Beneath the Sea. .0. . 

Faith DomerKuc, Kenneth Tobey, Ian Keith 

©Man From Laramie, The D.. 

O'Donnell, Crisp 

James Stewart. Oaihy 

©My Sister Eileen 

Donald 

MC. 

Janet l.eluh. Jack Lemmon, Garrett 

Betty 

Queen Bee ( . . ) D . . 

Juan Crawford, Barry Ireland 

Sullivan, John 

©Rebound D. . 

Stewart l>Hncer. Jean Simmons 

King Dinosaur (59) D . . 54 1 8 

BUI Bryant. Wanda Curtis 

Lonesome Troll, The (..) W..5416 

John Agar, Wayne Morris. Margia Dean 

©Bho Junction •* .1 

Ava G;ir St art Granger, Abralis 

©Bo lister 

Jeff lilehar.ls. Jarraa Lewis. Dean Jaf 

> 

©Cobweb, The 

Charles Ilojer, Uuren Bacall, Lillian 

©Guys ft 

and Dolls •„• 

-^ ,j 

Marlon r.raralo. Jean Simmons, Frank (U 

©Invitotion to the Dance A 

Gore Kellv. Relita. Tamara Toumano 

©It's AJwoys Foir Weother... .A 

Gene Kelh, I'l.l Cliirlsse, Dan Dailey 

©King's Thief, The (..)......; 

Ann I'.iMli. IMtnurid I'lirdum. David M 

©Quentin Durword -I 

Ituberl lavliir. Kav Kendall, Robert Ml 

©Scarlet Coot 

^^ 

Cornel Wilde, Jllchacl Wilding, Anne Fi|ai 

©Svengoli O 

IlildetMr.l- Neff. nnnald Wnlflt. T. M

"I 

. 

. 

. 

1 

©oRoge 

. 

1 

. 

. 

FEATURE 

CHART 

IfMOUNT 

JoWindow (112) D. .5401 

îtiiai:. liiiice Kelly, Tbclma lUlter 

RKO RADIO 

REPUBLIC 

a Shonghoi Story (90) D. .531 I 

K.lmiuid (riiflen. Ruth Jaeckel 

Roman, R. 

Tobor the Grcot (77) D,.5309 

Q] 

Charles Drake, Karls Booth, Arthur Shields 

20TH CENTURY-FOX 

©Egyption, The (140) D. .420 

Edriinnd Purdom. Ccne iierney. Jean Slmmon.s 

S(I13) . 

IP V 

Boi;art. 

CD. .5402 

Audrey Uepburu, W. Uoldcn 

g] OPassion (84) D. ,503 

Ciirnel Wilde. Vionne lie Carlo, Lon Chanes 

OThis Is My Love (90) D..504 

Linda Darnell, Dan Uuryea, Faith Domcrgue 

©Adventures of Hajji Bobo, 

The (93) D. .424 

John Denk. Elaine Steuart, Thomas Gomiz 

Hi ©aWoman's World (94) CD. .421 

Clifton Webb. June Allyson. Cornel Wilde 

QCattle Queen of Montana 

(88) W. .505 

Barbara Stanwyck, 

Ronald Reagan, Lance Fuller 

Black 13 (75) D. .428 

Peler Reynolds. Rona Anderson. Lena .Morris 

©Block Widow (95) D. .423 

Van lleflin. Gluijer Rogers. Gene Tlerney 

S ©oDesiree (110) D. .425 

Marion Brando. Jean Simmons. Merle Oberon 

©Outlow's Daughter, The (75). .W. .427 

Bill Williams, Jim Davis, Kelly Ryan 

j^hife Christmos (1 20). .M. .5403 

» hi);. D. Kaye, K. Qouoey, Vera-EUeo 

[©Hansel ond Gretel (75). 

Electronic Puppets 

a ©Trouble in the Glen (91) D..5313 

M:irt;aret Lockwood, F. Tucker. V. .McLaglen 

a Atomic Kid, The (86) C..5314 

.Mickey Rooney, Robert Strauss. Elaine Davis 

HI Hell's Outpost (90) W. .5315 

Rod Cameron, Joan Leslie, Chill Wills 

Devil's Harbor (71) D. .429 

Richiird Arlen, Greta GerraaUie 

Gynt, Mary 

Other Woman, The (81) D . . 430 

lltigo lltas. Cleo Moore. Ijince Fuller 

OQoThcre's No Business Like 

Show Business (117) M..501 

Ethel Merman. Dan Dailey. Marllj-n Monroe 

m African Manhunt (65) AD. .5430 

Karin Booth. John Kellogg, Elliot 

Ross 

Trouble in Store (86) C..543I 

gH 

Margaret Rutherford, Norman Wisdom 

©Cormen Jones (105) M. .422 

Harry Belatonte, Pearl Bailey, Dandrldge 

D. 

©Prince of Players ( 102) . .D . .502-5 

Maggie McNamara, John Derek 

Richard Burton. 

BBges at 

w 

Uiii loldeo. 

Toko-RI, The 

D. .5405 

Fredrlc March, &llckey Roooey 

d] Tonon's Hidden Jungle (72). . . .D. .507 

Gordon Scott. Vera Miles, P. Van Eyck 

m ©aUnderwoter! (99) D. .506 

Jane Russell, Gilbert Roland, Richard EgaD 

j Carolina Cannonball (74) C. .5326 

Judy Canova, Ross Elliot, Andy Clyde 

i Square Ring, The (73) D. .5432 

Jack Warner. Joan Collins, Robert Beatty 

a ©Timberiack (94) C. .5402 

Vera Ralston, Sterling Hayden, A. Menjou 

©aRocers, The (92) D . . 505-8 

1 

Kirk Douglas. B. Darvl. Gilbert Roland 

©White Feather (102) W. .503-3 

Robert Wagner. D. Paget, J. Lund 

!u>«t of Space (80) AD. .5407 

IIUil ooke, Willium liedlield, G. Jobnson 

•iii Girl, The (104) D. .5409 

IC ( tiy. Urace KeUy, WUllam Holden 

D. .5406 

-,y.:o. Shelley Winters, M. Rennie 

cRi for Cover (92) D. .5410 

IWiiney, V. Und/ors. Jean Hersholt 

tgic Air Command 

D..5425 

wart, June AJlyson, Frank Lovejoy 

lorizons. The (108) D. .5412 

lesluii. K. M.ic.Munay, Donna Reed 

li Island (84) D. .5411 

e, Mary Murphy, Frances L. SuiUvan 

at Down (87) W. .51 

Randolph Scott. Mala Powers, Forrest Tucker 

[U ©oEscope to Burmo (87) W. .512 

B.irbara Stanwyck. Robert Ryan, David Farrar 

E§ ©Quest for the Lost City (61).. Doc ..510 

Dana and Ginger L,amb 

(3!l©aSon of Sinbad (88) AD.. 513 

Dale Robertson. Sally h'orrest, Llll St. Cyr 

©Yellowneek (83) D. 

Lin McCarthy, Berry Kroeger 

8 Day to Remember, A (72) C..5433 

Stanley Holloway. Odile Versois. Vernon Gray 

©Doctor in the House (92) C..5401 

Dirk Bogarde. Muriel Pavlov, Donald Sinden 

Don Juan's Night of Love (..).D.. 

Silvana Pjmpanlnl. Raf Vallone 

Eternal Sea, The (103) D . 

Sterling Hayden. Alexis Smilh, Dean Jagffer 

I Cover the Underworld (70) D. .5434 

Sean McClory, Joanne Jordan, Ray Mldclleion 

©Santa Fe Passage (90) W. .5404 

John Payne. Faith Domergue, Rod Cameron 

City of Shodows (..) C. 

Victor McLatilen. Kathleen Crowley 

Double Jeopardy (..) D.. 

Rod Cameron. Gale Roliblns 

©Flame of the Island (..) D.. 

Yvonne Dc Carlo. Howard Duff, Z. Scott 

Green Buddha, The (..) D.. 

Wayne Mojris. Mary Germalne 

©Road to Denver (. .) W. 

.lohn I'lvne. M.ina l-'rrrninn. R Mlildleinn 

[g ©aUntamed (112) D . . 507-4 

Tyrone Power, Susan Hayward, Richard Egan 

©Adventures of Sadie, 

The (75) C. 508-2 

Joan Collins. Susan Ila.vward. Richard Egan 

la 0©aMon Called Peter, A 

(119) D. .509-0 

Richard Todd. Jean Pelers. Marjorie Rambeaii 

m ©Violent Saturday (91) D , . 5 1 0-8 

Victor Mature. Sylvia Sidney. Richard Egan 

m Angela ( . . ) D . . 5 1 -6 

1 

Dennis O'Keefe. Mara Lane 

101 ©Daddy Long Legs (1 26) . .M . .515-7 

Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Terry Moore 

OaMagnifieent Matador (..). D. .513-2 

.M.Mireen (lilara. Anlhony Qulnn. Tlios. Gome/ 

©Soldier of Fortune (. .). . . .D. .514-0 

Clark Gable. S. llayward. Michael Uennie 

©Thot Lady (..)... D . . 504-1 

OUvia DÛaviiland, GlRjcrt Roland 

Jester, The C. . 

e. (Ilyiiis Juhns, Basil Ralhbone 

tush. The M. . 

(iissell. Fernando Lamas 

' Gollont D . 

" in. Cliarlion Ilesion, Claire Trevor 

» little Foys, The M . 

.Mllly Vii,,le. .\nBil,i Oark 

ommondments, The..D.. 

fsion. V. He Carlo, Anne liaiter 

3teh o Thief D. . 

, Grace Kelly, Jessie Roycc Landls 

D. . 

!as. Sihann M.me.nnn, A. Qulnn 

bond King, The (. .). .M. 

rayson. Iiresie KIrknp, Rita Moreno 

No Angels CD. . 

Bogarl, ,lii;iii BennoU, Aldo Bay 

Nev 

.e>vls. Hi Lynn. Nina Foch 

©Bengoii D. . 

Ricli.ird Ciinte. Richard Carlson. V. McLaglen 

Oi=^Boy ond the Bull, The D. 

Mielnel llîi. .loy l.,insiilg 

©^Conqueror, The (. .) D. . 

Jubii \V;i>t;e. Sij^.in llayward, Pedro Armendarls 

©Jet Pilot (119) D..229 

John Wayne. Janet Lelgli, J. C. Flippen 

Noked Sea Doc. . 

A Kinr-month vnyaEe of a tuna fleet 

©Pearl of the South Pacific. . .D. . 

Virginia .Mayo, Denni< .Morgan. David Farrar 

©Treasure of Poncho Villa, 

The D. . 

Rory Calhoun. Gilbert Roland, Shelley Winters 

©Wakamba 

African 

tribe 

Doc. 

Deadline Alley (. .) D. . 

Rod Cnmernn. Julie Bishop, Ben Cooper 

Divided Heart, The (..) D.. 

Cornell Borchors. Alexander Y. Mitchell 

Knox, 

©Hostage, The W.. . 

Ray Milland, Mary Murphy, Ward Bond 

Jaguar 

©Lost Command, The 

D. . 

D.. 

Sterling Ilav.len. Anna Maria Albergheltl 

Lay That Rifle Down C. . 

Jiiilv Dinovi. Robert Lowery. Riirtoo 

Robert 

©Magic Fire D. . 

V^nnn^ De C.irln. Carlos Ttwmpson. Rita Gam 

Mystery of the Black Jungle ( . . ]D . 

Lex Barker 

©Deep Blue Sea, The D. . 

©House of Bomboo D. . 

Robert Slack. Robirt Kyan. Shirley Yamaguchl 

©How to Be Very, Very 

Populor M. . 

Betty Grable, Robert Cummlngs, Sheree North 

©Left Hand of God, The D.. 

Life in the Balonee, A (75) D.. 

Ricardo Montillian. Anne Bancroft. J Marrln 

©Living Swomp, The (..).. Doc. 

a Many Splendorcd 

©Love Is 

Thing (..) D.. 

©Oosis D. . 

©Seven Year Itch, The C. . 

M:iriisTi Mnnrne. Tom Ewell. Evelyn Keyes 

©Sir Walter Raleigh D . . 

Davis, Richard Tudd. Collins 

Joan Belle 

©Tall Men, The (..) D.. 

Clark Gable. Jane Russell. Robert Ry.in

. 

. 

4 

. 

, 

. 

. 

. 

I 

j 

( 

FEATURE 

CHART 

UNITED ARTISTS 

©Jesse Jomes" Women (83) . . . W. .5435 

Don Burry. I'e^gic Castle. Jack Bcutd 

OGolden Mistress, The (82) D. .5437 

JohiL Agar. liosi-marie Bowe, Kiki 

©Khyber Potrol (71) 

D..5419 

Kk'liard Egai). Uawu Addams, Patric Knowles 

Suddenly (77) D. .5436 

Frank Siiialra. Sterling Haydcn, Nancy Gates 

©Borefoot Contessa, The (128). D. .54-40 

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©cDSitting Bull (105). W. .5434 

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©You Know What Soilors Are 

(89) C..5445 

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l,aureuce Harvey. Flora liobison. S. Slientall 

Steel Cage, The (80) D . . 5443 

Paul Kelly, M, O'Sullivan, VV. Slezak 

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Sterling llavden. Arlhnr Franz, M. Thompson 

©Beachcomber, The (82) D. .5501 

Robert .Newlon, Glynis Johns, Donald Sinden 

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E. G. Robinson. Jean Graves 

Parker, Peter 

©Vera Cruz (94) AD. .5448 

Gary Cooiier. Burt Lanc.ister, Denlse Dareel 

Canyon Crossroads (83) W. .5506 

liichard Basehart, Phvllis Kirk, Russell Collins 

Good Die Young, The (100). .. .D. .5505 

Julin Ireland. Gloria Grahame, L. Harvey 

©Saboka (81) D. .5504 

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Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair 

©Stronger on Horseback (66). .W. .5508 

Joel .McCrea, .Miroslava, Kevin McCarthy 

Bullet for Joey, A (85) D. .5310 

E. G. Robinson, George Baft, Audrey Totter 

©Lilacs in the Spring (. .) M. .5511 

Erroi Flvnn. Anna Neagle, David Farrar 

©Purple Plain, The (100) D..5503 

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D..5513 

Ralph Meeker, Cloris Leachman, Albert Decker 

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Othello D. 

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Seo Shall Not Hove Them, The.D. . 

Dirk Bogarde, A-ithony St««l 

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Sterling Ilayden, Gloria Gene Barry 

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©Bengal Brigade (87) D. .434 

Roek Hudson, Arlene Dahl, Iheiss 

Ursula 

©Four Guns ot the Border (87). .W. .502 

Rory Calhoun, Colleen Jliller, G. Nader 

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Cliill Marjorie Main, Wills, Rudy Vallee 

©aSign of the Pogon (92) D, .505 

JelT Chandler. Jane Russell, Dan Duryea 

©Yellow Mountain, The (78) W. .510 

Les Barker, Mala Powers, Howard Duff 

©Destry (91) W. .508 

Audit .Murphy, Bettger 

Marl Blanchard, Lyle 

©So This Is Paris (96) MC..507 

Tony Curtis. Coriiuie Calvet. Gene Ndson 

©West of Zanzibar (83) C5..501 

Anthony Steel, Shelia Sim 

Abbott and Costello Meet the 

Keystone Kops (80) C. ,513 

Abbott and Costello. Lynn Barl 

©For Country, The (97) D. .511 

James Steviart, Ruth Roman, Brennan 

Walter 

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©cnCaptoin Lightfoot (92) D. .514 

Rock Hudson, Barbara Rush, Jeff Morrovv 

©Land of Fury (82) D, .509 

Jack Hawkins, Glynis ,lohns, Noel Purcell 

©Smoke Signal (89) W. .516 

Dana Andrews, Piper Laurie, William Talman 

©Chief Crazy Horse (86) SW. .517 

Victor .Mature, Suzan Ball. John Lund 

Mo and Pa Kettle ot Waikiki 

(79) C. .519 

Marjorie .M.iin, Percy Kilbride, Lorl Nelson 

©Man Without a Stor (92) SW. .520 

Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor 

Cult of the Cobra (82) D. .523 

Faiih Doiniigue, Richard Long, K.. Hughes 

Looters, The (87) D. .524 

Horv Callwun, Julie Adams, Ray D.tnton 

f Revenge of the Creoture (82). .D. .521 

John .'Vgar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield 

Abbott and Costello Meet 

the Mummy (79) C..526 

Abbott i Cosldlo. .Marie Windsor 

©Man From Bitter Ridge, The 

(78) W. .525 

Les Barker. .Mara Corday, Stephen Mc.Nallv 

©This Island Earth (87) D. .527 

Kcx Reason, Faith Domergue, Jeff Morrow 

©Ain't Misbehavin' M. 

Piper Laurie, Rnry Calhoun, Jack Carson 

©All That Heaven Allows D. . 

Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Colleen Miller 

©Foxfire D . . 

Jeff Chandler, Jane Russell, Dan Duryea 

©Kiss of Fire D. . 

Jack Palance. Barbara Rush, Martha Ilycr 

©Lady Godivo of Coventry D, , 

Maureen O'llara, George Nader, V. McLaglen 

©One Desire D , 

Anne Kaxter. Ruck Hudson, Julie Adams 

©Private Wor of Major Benson. .D. . 

Ch.irlton llcslnn. Julie Adams, William Dema».st 

©Purple Mask, The D. . 

Tunv Curtis. Colleen MUier. Angela Lansbury 

Shrike, The (88) D. . 

Jose Ferrer. June Allvson, 

©To Hell ond Bock 

Clark 

D 

Kendall 

Mo niir Drnke 

WARNER BROS. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

AMERICAN RELEASING CO 

Fost ond Furious (74). . . 

Juhi. Iril uiJ. liniutnv .Malune, Bra 

©Five Guns West (78). . 

John Lund, Dorothy .Malone, Paui J 

ASTOR 

Moster Plan, The L ) 

Wayne Morris, Tilda Thamar 

Sleeping Tiger, The (89). . 

.\h\.s Smith, Alexander Kjioii, D. 

BUENA VISTA 

©Lady and the Tramp 

(76) C#1 

Story of two dogs ^ 

©Vanishing Proirie (71)...|, 

©20,000 Leogues Under tin 

Seo (128) .1 

Kiik Douglas, James Mason, P. t^ 

CARROLL 

Four Ways Out (77) 

El©nDrum Beat (111) W. .404 Gina LoUobrigida. Renato BaldM, 

Alan Ladd. Audrey Dalton, Marisa Pavan 

CONTINENTAL DISTRIBUTI 

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m ©aTroek of the Cat (102) AD. .405 Alec Guinness. OJile Versuis. Vera 

Robert Mitchum, Diana Lynn, Teresa Wright 

DISTRIBUTORS CORP. OF A 

Animal Form (75) 

Aniiu.iled carloon characters 

©Hunters of the Deep (64) Dc 

©:=Long John Silver (109).. 

Kiil/ert Xiwlon, Kit Taylor. Eric B 

Stronger's Hand, The (86)... I 

Riciiard Dasehart, Alida Valli, Ti 

FILMAKERS 

Crashout (. .) ,,( 

Urn. Btudix. Arthur Kennedy. B.: 

Mod at the World (..)... .j 

a] ©Young ot Heort (117) MC-D. .409 Frank Lovejcy, K. Brasselle, C.l 

Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, E. Barrymore 

I.F.E. 

J* 

(American Dialog) 

©Aido (110) 

I 

Sophia Loren, Lois M;L\weIl, Aft 

Bread, Love and Dreams (90{I 

i©aStar Is Born, A (154) MD. .403 Vittorio de Sica, Gina LoUobrl^" 

Judy Garland, James Mason, Jack Carson 

City Stands Triol ( . . ) ; 

Silvana Pampanhu, Amadeo NawJ 

Love in the City (90) .... :^' 

a ©aSilver Chalice, The (137) D , . 408 Nonprofessional cast 

Virginia Mayo, Jack Palance, Pier .\ngeli 

Mademoiselle Gobette (78) . 

Silvana Pampanini. Luigi Pavese, 

©Theodora, Slave Empress 

(88) 

Maria Canale. Georg 

HI Unchained (75) D. .412 Too Young for Love (88). 

Chester Morris, Barbara Hale, Elroy Hlrsi^ 

Mariii Vl.idy. P. M. Beck. Aldo F 

Wayward Wife (91). 

Gina Lullubrigida, Franco Interloi 

VISUAL DRAMAS, INC. 

Gongbusters (77) 

HI ©Battle Cry t148) D. .411 Myron Healy, Don C. Harvey, 

Van Henin. Aldo Ray, Tab Hunter 

51 New York Confidential (87) D. .413 

REISSUES 

Brod Crawford, Antje Bancroft, Richard Conte 

COLUMBIA 

Petty Girl, The (87). 

Robert Cummhigs. Joan Caulfield 

©Return of October (89) 

©East of Eden (115) D, ,414 Glenn Ford. Terry .Moore 

Julie Harris, James Dean, Raymond Massey They All Kissed the Bride (S: 

Joan Crawford, Jlelvyn Douglm 

MGM 

Anchors Aweigh (139),,..i 

Gi-nr Ivelly. Fr.vik Shiatra 

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Gnlo Uarbi), Robert Taylor 

Woman's Face, A (106) 

Joan Crawford. Melvjii Douglas 

PARAMOUNT 

iJump Into Hell (93) D, .410 ©Reap the Wild Wind (1 24). 

Jacques Sernas, Arnold Moss, Jului 

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Berlin Express (86).... 

Robert Ryan. Merle Oberon. PaOllil 

Big Street, The 

Henry Fonda. Lucille Ball 

Bringing up Baby (102) .Ml 

. . . . I 

Carv Grint. Katliarine Hepburn 

Informer, The (91) -VJ 

Victor McLa-len. Preslon Fii,ler 

I Remember Momo (119)... .''I 

©Tall Mon Riding (83) W..417 

Irene Duruie. Barbara Bel Gedde. I 

Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone, Peggie Castle ©She Wore a Yellow Ribbon 

(103) 

Henry Fonda, Joanne Dm 

20th CENTURY-FOX 

Belle Storr's Daughter (85),.* f 

©Blood Alley D George Montgomery, Ruth Roman,;. C 

. 

John Wayne. Lauren Bacall, .\nlta Eckberg 

Coll Northside 777 (. .) Ml 

Dombusters, The (. ,) D. .420 James Stewart. Helen Walker 

; 

J 

Itieharil Im,i,i. Jiichael Redgrave 

Dokoto Lil (88) ^ fj 

©Helen of Troy D. George Montgomery, Marie Windsorv. 

. 

Rossana Podesta, Jacques Sernas, C. Hardwicke Day the Forth Stood Still, The 

I Died o Thousand Times D. (92) [. 

. 

Waller Abel. Beverly Garland. Perry Lopea 

Michael Rennle, Patrice Ncal . 

©Jogged Edge, The (..) D.. House of Strangers (101)... 

Jack Palance. Shelley Winters, Lee Marvin 

Rrlward G. Robinson, Susan Ila.vw 

©Lond of the Pharoahs {..),.D..419 Twelve O'clock High (132) 

Jack Hawkins. Joan Collins. Dewey Martin 

Gregorv Peek. II. Marlowe. \ir::v. 

©Mister Roberts (123) 418 Where the Sidewalk Ends 

Henry Fonila. James Cagney, William Powell 

©McConnell Story, The D. Dana .\udrcws. (lene Ticrney 

. 

Alan Ladd. June AUyson, James \Vhltmore WARNER BROS. 

©oMobv Dick D . . 

Big Sleep, The (114) 

^ 

Gregory Peck, R. Basehart, Orson Welles 

llumpliny Bogart. Lauren Baeai 

River Changes, The D. . Sorotogo Trunk (135) 

Tnroct Zoro P) In-rid Rrrei'ioi. Girv Cooner

• 

comes 

. . Filmed 

. . Live 

• 

)|!nions on Current Productions 

HiWJM iWMm^ 

Mister Roberts 

Warner Bros. (418) 

123 Minutes 

Ratio: 

2.55-1 

Comedy 

(Cinemascope, 

WarnerColor) 

HeL July 30, '55 

Out Burbank way, where the Freres Warner are still 

enting the kuiJos once accorded them by the New York 

..;.s—about t.heir combining of good citizenship with good 

ure-making—another, and comparably praiseworthy, tech- 

:ue appears to have been mastered, namely, the knowhow 

xtract great and highly popular photoplays from widelyioimed 

novels and/or stage hits that specialize in profane 

Suggestive dialog apd situations. "A Streetcar Named 

and "East of Eden" were classical demonstrations. 

the film version of "Mister Roberts," which carries 

oove-mentioned skill to a new high and emerges as an 

^_ rucialingly funny, magnificently produced, masterfully dirfecled 

and superbly-enacted feature, bursting at the seams, 

TjUJth every entertainment quality and exploitation possibility 

lefutably assure it stratospheric business in all its play- 

IS. 

>ince much of the creative talent responsible for the recordestablishing 

Broadv,ray success applied their considerable 

capabilities to the fabrication of the picture, the latter was 

endowed per se with an unusually solid productional foundation, 

upon which was adroitly constructed the infinitely wider 

' 

-nework that the screen permits as concerns sets, back-' 

mds, graphic motivation and performances; most esuUy 

when the process is, moreover, bolstered—as it is 

.in—by the majesty of CinemaScope photography and 

natural effectiveness of WarnerColor. That pair of ad- 

^wls has been seldom, if ever, so expertly applied as in 

luring the breathtakingly beautiful marine locales against 

sh "Mister Roberts" was filmed in the waters around Midand 

the Hawaiian islands. 

aplifying on the feature's heritage from the play: Lelond 

fold produced both, and in the more recent accomplish- 

|t surpasses even his glowing success with the original 

re. The screenplay was written by Frank 'Nugent and 

ua Logan, the latter of whom collaborated with Thomas 

foen (author of the novel) on the stage show. Unavoidably, 

]|o\ir-le'ter words so profusely employed in the book have 

eliminated or modified. But present are the double 

|ndres, which are so subtly interpolated into dialog and 

rtions that the spectator can recognize or ignore their 

otations of pornography or licentiousness, depending 

individual perspectives. While hilarious comedy—some 

Bsticated, some satirical, same racuous—is the offering's 

Bominant theme, there ore occasional moments of drama. 

And—again demonstrating the screen's superior scope over 

that of the stage—there are touches of impressive spectacle, 

""îning their peak of perfection in a scene where scores 

native canoes venture forth do welcome into port the 

.-tiered cargo ship upon which the yarn is spun. 

the same superlative status as scripting and production 

le performances, every one of which, from the toplining 

tet of marquee-mighty male stars to the bitplaying gobs, 

rtually flawless. Henry Fonda, in the title role which 

led for so many seasons on Broadway, is expectedly 

-perfect in every respect, but his portrayal, for all its 

fllence, doesn't outstrip those contributed by James 

igney as the pompous, frustrated, incompetent ship's captain; 

William Powell as the philosophical, sympathetic medical 

officer; or Jack Lemmon as the lazy, irresponsible Ensign 

Pulver. 

Directional credit is split between John Ford (who was 

incapacitated while the picture was shooting) and Mervyn 

LeRoy, and it is so brilliant an accomplishment that there's 

abundant glory for both. 

Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, Jack Lemmon. 

Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Phil Carey, Nick Adams. 

CATCHLINES: 

Acclaimed One of the Outstanding Stage Hits in Broadway 

History . . . Now Even Greater . . . Even Funnier ... . on the 

Screen 

. in All the Magnificence of CinemaScope 

. . All the Glorious Beauty of Flaming WarnerColor . . . 

a Must-See Movie Smash. 

BoxorncE 

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier J: ^^^^ "JSHT' 

Buena Vista 95 Minutes Rel.- 

In recent weeks, millions of viewers have hovered by their 

video sets with a fervor that, bordering on fanaticism, has 

made Davy Crockett, the b'ar killer, Injun fighter and hero 

of the Alamo a national idol all over again. Guided by the 

creative talent oi Walt Disney, the three-part Crockett saga, 

which has materially aided in boosting the "Disneyland" TV 

show to top ratings, herein has been skillfully edited and 

telescoped into a, theatrical feature. In so doing, the Disney 

organization is pioneering a reversal of the customary 

movies-to-television programming, a venture that is sure 

to be closely studied by all segments of the industry. 

Are those same millions who have watched and applauded 

—for free—the black-and-white, small-screen TV saga of the 

rugged Tennessee backwoodsman prepared to shell out coin 

of the realm to see it again—this time garbed in flaming 

Technicoloir and presented in the infinitely superior scope 

and clarity offered by the modern movie theatre? That 

questiori is more easily posed than answered, and the final 

report thereon probably will not be forthcoming until all the 

returns are in. Certainly, showmen have had available few 

pictures in the past that have been so replete in ready-made 

exploitation possibilities—not the least of which is the Hit 

Parade popularity of its title song. 

As concerns the opus itself, it of course reflects in every 

detail the productional mastery that has come to be accepted 

as a 'matter of course from the Disney plant. To assure 

authenticity, much of it was shot on location in the hinter-, 

lands of Tennessee. Director Norman Foster extracted convincing 

preformances from the cast, while Bill Walsh, functioning 

as producer, earns himself a solid credit. 

Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Basil Ruysdael, Helene 

Stanley, Hans Conned, William Bakewell, Ken Tobey. 

CATCHLINES: 

Bear Killer, Indian Fighter, Congressman, Hero of the Almo 

—That's Davy Crockett, Epic Figure in American History and 

Now on the Screen in Blazing Color and 

Legend . . . 

Breathless Excitement. 

The Magnificent Matador 

20th-Fox (513-2) 95 Minutes 

Ratio: 

Drama 

2.55-1 (CinemaScope- 

Eastman Color) 

ReL June '55 

During the screen's history from the early days of the silents 

the lusty Latin pastime of legalized mayhem known as 

bullfighting has been utilized as the subject matter for many 

motion pictures, and if is a safe assumption that the majority 

of them earned respectable boxoffice ratings because of 

their appeal to action-loving moviegoers. The same satisfactory 

revenue record probably can be predicted for this entry 

in the category, first such to be accorded CinemaScope 

garnishment, and which additionally rates praise for the 

authenticity of its backgrounds, generally good performances 

and the bright Eastman Color used to capture the Mexican 

locales wherein the feature was made. 

Perhaps the super-critical may opine that throughout the 

bulk of the picture there is a tendency toward over-dialog 

at the expense of sustained pace, but there is compensation 

in excitingly staged climactic footage in the bull ring. The 

tint photography and widescreen process, south-of-the-border 

scenery and two top cast names can be uêd effectively 

in the fabrication of exploitation. It is a National Pictures 

presentation, filmed by Edward L. Alperson with Carroll 

Case a? co-producer, and directed by Budd Boetticher, who 

also supplied the original story. 

The matador referred to in the title, Anthony Quinn, is 

beset with a problem. He is scheduled to induct young 

Manuel Rojas into the intricacies of the sport, but refuses 

to do so—Rojas being his son, born out of wedlock, and the 

details of whose birth Quinn has kept a dark secret. Attracted 

to the older man, Maureen O'Hara, an American heiress, 

learns the. truth and persuades him to make the story public. 

He does so, and together he and Rojas go into the ring— 

bullfighting being in the boy's blood as strongly as it is in 

his father's. 

Maureen O'Hara, Anthony Quinn, Manuel Rojas, Richard 

Denning, Thomas Gomez, Lola Albright, William Brooks. 

CATCHLINES 

The World's Most Dangerous Game . With the 

Toreador, Fight the Brave Bulls, Make the Pass of Death, 

Love As If There's No Tomorrow in the' Picture Thiat's Packed 

With Thrills. 

May 21, 1955 1771

— 

. . She 

REVIEWS 

Adiines for Newspaper and Prograj 

Tall Man Riding 

F 

Ratio: 

Western 

a. 85-1 (WarnerColor) 

Warner Bros. (417) 83 Minutes Rel. June 18, '55 

Early in the picture, a character reads a line to the 

effect, "It's the old story—the cattlemen against the ploughmen." 

Inadvertently that describes the basic thesis of this 

high-voltage western, although upon that fundamental theme 

ore hung situations that proved audience thrillers in numerous 

preceding super-sagebrushers, dating 'way back to 

"Cimarron." Surprisingly enough, the screenplay by Joseph 

Hoffman, from a novel by Norman A. Fox, welds these 

numerous and varied ingredients into smooth and plausible 

continuity so that there is a plethora of action and gore 

for the incurable galloper fans, and still enough of general 

dramatic appeal for the cash customers of less limited tastes. 

Endowed with a workable script, and guided by the experience, 

hard-driving direction of Lesley Selander, the large, 

carefully selected cast comes through with an assortment of 

convincing, ingratiating performances. That contributed by 

square-jawed, indestructible topliner Randolph Scott is expectedly 

the standout, but his play is backed by the two 

femme co-stars—Dorothy Malone and Peggie Castle—and 

John Baragrey, who supplies the dominant portion of the 

photoplay's considerable villainy. Throughout, producer 

David Weisbart mounted the picture with unstinting impressiveness—in 

which accomplishment he was materially 

aided by bright WarnerColor photography of the appealing, 

outdoor backgrounds and atmospheric sets. The subject 

attains spectacular proportions during a climactic land rush 

(there are the shades of "Cimarron"), utilizing outsize numbers 

of horses, wagons and riders. 

Considering the name value of the cast, color and yarn 

all of wjiich invites business-attracting merchandising—the 

offering assays as unusually dependable as an audiencepleaser 

and money-maker in virtually all situations, with 

special assurance of profits in those showcases where adventure 

film fare is known to thrive. 

Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone, Peggie Castle, Bill Ching, 

John Baragrey, Robert Barrat, John Dehner, Paul Richards. 

CATCHLINES: 

The Roaring, Rugged, Turbulent Land-Grab Days of the 

1870s, Brought Back to Flaming Life in a WarnerColor Thriller, 

Starring Quick-on-the-Draw Randolph Scott . . . Guaranteed 

to Pack a King-Sized Load of Adventure. 

Crashout 

Filmakers ( ) 

90 Minutes 

F 

Ratio: 

1.S5-1 

Drama 

Rel. March '55 

Considering the vast number of pictures that have been 

made dealing with prisons and the relentless manhunts 

that ensue when convicts escape therefrom, it is hardly to 

be expected that any newcomer film treatment of the 

subject will develop many situations that haven't been 

employed on countless previous occasions. Thus, this addition 

to the category has its fair share of cliches, but for 

what it lacks in originality it balances in quantities of 

violence, suspense and action. 

Because direction by Lewis R. Foster, who collaborated 

with producer Hal E. Chester in writing the screenplay, is 

competent, and in view of generally praiseworthy performances, 

ticket buyers should not object to the feature's excessive 

gore and its splattering of overdrawn sequences. 

The latter are unavoidable becauje there are six felons 

concerned, each of whom apparently had to be subjected to 

a sizable spot of character analysis, and the demise of each 

is recorded in all of its sanguinary details. Chester mounted 

the vehicle authentically and with sufficient substance so 

that it can be considered an above-average programmer 

and can command merchandising attention, which possibly 

should concentrate on the name value of the cast rather 

than the theme. 

Six men out of a group of 40 breaking out of stir manage 

to elude pursuing guards and hide out in a cave. They are 

led by. William Bendix, who has been wounded during the 

escape, and who promises to split with the rest a stolen 

cache of $180,000. After a doctor has been compelled to 

minister to Bendix's injuries, the gang hijacks the medico's 

car, then switches to a train—during the course of which 

two of them are rubbed out. Finally only Bendix and his 

chief rival, Arthur Kennedy, are left; Bendix bites the dust 

and Kennedy gives up to the law. 

William Bendix, Arthur Kennedy, Luther Adler, William 

Talman, Gene Evans, Marshall Thompson, 

Robbers' Roost 

United Artists (5515) 82 Minutes 

F 

Ratio: 

WestErn 

1.85-1 (Eastman Color) 

Rel. May '55 

George Montgomery, who customarily rides the western 

plains for Columbia, is the star of a fast-moving, hard-hitting 

outdoors film, produced by Robert Goldstein for UA release. 

Based on the Zone Grey novel (the author's name will still 

spell "action" to the older fans), the picture is strong fare for 

the action houses and will make a satisfactory dualler 

generally. In some localities, Richard Boone, currently attracting 

attention in the TV series, "Medic," will be an added 

marquee name. 

Montgomery is "tall, dark and handsome," as well as completely 

convincing, as a member of an outlaw gang, which 

is one of two gangs of rustlers hired by a crippled rancher 

who cleverly figures that the rival groups will watch each 

other instead of rustling cattle. Director Sidney Salkow maintains 

interest throughout and builds to a full-scale chase and 

gun battle which ends with rocks cascading down the mountain 

and burying the chief villain. The latter is splendidly 

played by Boone, who has the able assistance of such assorted 

badmen as Warren Stevens and Peter Graves. Bruce 

Bennett also does well as the once-active rancher in a wheel 

chair. The romantic plot never comes to life, mainly becausf' 

of the colorless portrayal by pretty Sylvia Findley. Eastmcaf 

Color is effective. 

George Montgomery arrives in a small Texas town and is 

immediately hired by Richard Boone, an outlaw leader, who 

is feuding with Peter Graves, head of another gang of rustlers. 

Both gangs are hired as ranch hands by Bruce Bennett, 

who has had an accident confining him to a wheelchair. 

Both gangs decide to outsmart each other and rustle Bennett's 

cattle. When Bennett's sister arrives from the East; 

she pleads with him to get rid of the outlaws, but he assigns 

Montgomery to ride with her at all times. The two gangs 

decide to team up and rustle the cattle, but Boone doublecrosses 

the others and takes the girl along as hostage_. 

However, they catch up with Boone in "Robbers' Roost," d 

hideout. Montgomery fights with Boone and the girl loosens 

a boulder and starts a rockslide which kills the outlaw leader. 

George Montgomery, Richard Boone, Bruce Bennett, Peter 

Graves, Sylvia Findley, Warren Stevens, William Hopper. 

CATCHLINES: 

George Montgomery as the Texan Who Made Rustlers 

Fight Rustlers and Save the Cattle . . . Zone Grey's Thrilling 

Tale of Rival Gangs of Rustlers Hiding in a Rock Retreat 

. . . Thief Fights Thief—and the Law Wins Out. 

.Angela 

20th-Fox (511-6) 

A 

Ratio: 

Standar 

81 Minutes Rel. May, '55 

A lot of exciting entertainment is packed into the relatively 

short footage of this Italian feature produced by 

Patria Pictures with Dennis O'Keefe and Mara Lane in the 

lead roles and an Italian supporting cast. Much has been 

heard about instructing foreign producers in the art of com* 

ing up with films suited to«the American taste, and this one 

would indicate that progress has been made. The script 

was well put together, the cast' was well selected and the 

direction by O'Keefe shows the American touch. Steven 

Polios produced. 

The story builds up smoothly to a series of climaxes and 

surprises that hold the interest throughout. The ending, 

v/here a woman is convicted as a murderess may not 

wholly satisfy male patrons impressed with her beauty, but 

women will say she got her just deserts. There is frequent 

violence in which fists, guns and knives play a part, but 

it all of is related to the progress of the story. 

Steve Catlett, American car salesman in Rome, falls in 

love with Angela, secretary to a businessman, not knowing 

that her employer is close to her and that she is the wife of 

Nino, an ex-convict. When the employer is found dead in 

Angela's apartment, Steve foolishly tries to protect her from 

scandal by removing the body. Nino tries to fix the murder 

on Steve by shooting the corpse with Steve's revolver. In a 

struggle Steve kills him and sends the two bodies crashing 

over a precipice in a car. The police seize Steve and he is 

shocked when Angela remains silent. However, Sieve is 

cleared when the police discover Angela's background. 

Dennis O'Keefe. Mara Lane. Rossano Brazzi, Arnoldo Foa. 

Galeazzo Benti, Enzo Fiermonte, Nino Crisman. 

CATCHLINES: 

CATCHLINES: 

Get Set for the Season's Most Breathlessly Exciting Adventure 

in Sustained Suspense—the Sizzling Saga of Six 

Brought Anguish . 

She Was a Beautiful Murderess . . . His Misplaced Love 

Was a She-Devil in the Guise of a 

Desperate Men—Hunted Down One by One in a Losing 

Saint ... A Story of Romance, Fiendish Intrigue, the Threat 

Battle With the Law. 

of Death for Murder. 

1772 BOXOFFICE MHy 21, 1955 1769 

II 

K]

; 

The 

I 

)|inions on Current Proauaions 

f5}]TU]ll 

JlPVJPMJiJ 

Master Plan 

Astor Pictures 

77 Minutes 

Ratio: 

Standard 

Drama 

Rel. Feb. '55 

A "fair-to-middling" mystery melodrama in the programmer 

category, this Britishmade has one American name, Wayne 

Morris, lor marquee purposes and enough suspense to gel 

it by as a supporting dualler—which is about all It can 

expect in U. S. bookings. 

Morris, who has put on some weight since he was a cowboy 

star lor Allied Artists, turns in a capable acting job as a 

U. S. major called in by the British Intelligence Service to prevent 

leakage oi secret inlormation, but the central role is 

actually played by Norman Wooland (recently leatured in 

Rank's "Romeo and Juliet") who plays the head ol the 

British Security Ollice. Several ol the characters are under 

suspicion, including Wooland's liancee, played by the Argentine 

actiess, Tilda Thamar, in rather obvious lashion, and 

Mary Mackenzie, who plays a loyal secretary. 

The picture starts slowly but director Hugh Raker builds 

up to an exciting denouement in which the real traitor is 

unmasked. Raker also wrote the screenplay and Charles 

A. Leeds produced. 

Wayne Morris, a U. S. major, is called to England by 

Norman Wooland, in charge the ol British Security Ollice, 

to investigate the leakage ol secret inlormation. On his 

arrival, Morris is introduced to Mary Mackenzie, Wooland's 

secretary, who seems to resent the lact that he is asked 

to study the secret iiles, all except the Master Plan, and 

to Tilda Thamar, Wooland's glamorous liancee. When Wooland 

is called out ol town, Tilda is asked to look alter Morris. 

The latter passes out at a bar while waiting lor Tilda and 

awakens in the ollice ol a doctor, who lorcibly gives him an 

injection. When Wooland returns, he learns that something 

is wrong with Morris when he listens to him answer mysterious 

phone calls and sees him photographing secret papers. 

However, Wooland trovers up lor Morris, who is wounded 

by a sniper alter placing the exposed microlilm in a cigaret 

lighter on Wooland's desk. Various people enter the ollice 

and pick up the lighter but only one—the real spy, tries to 

switch it and take the lilm belore being unmasked. 

Wayne Morris, Tilda Thamar, Norman 'Wooland, Mary 

Mackenzie, Arnold BelL Morjorie Stewart, Laurie Main. 

scriN^ 

simiri 

Liibl-' 

CATCHLINES: 

Hidden Deep Within This Man Was a Dark Secret—Which 

Turned Him Into a Killer . . . Breathless Suspense . . . 

Dramatic Thrills ... A Traitor Is Hunted—and Unmasked. 

1 Hamido 

David Gould 

122 Minutes 

A 

Ratio: 

Standard 

Rel. 

Melodrama 

This Egyptian picture with English subtitles will quite 

properly be sold to exhibitors as "a tale ol brutality, intrigue 

and romance." As such, it must be labeled an 

attraction lor the downtown houses specializing in its lirst 

ingredient. The acting by Egyptian players, unknown in 

the U. S., is competent, the backgrounds along the Nile are 

interesting, most oi the interiors are good and the plot has 

a good pace and suspenselul moments. Scoring against 

the lilm are the stilted subtitles, the unintelligible Arabic 

dialog and the lact the story deals with the drug trailic. 

Exploitation will have to be along sensational lines. The 

Dollar Film Co. oi Cairo was producer. Niazi Moustapha directed. 

Gould's address is 1564 Broadway, New York City. 

When shown to reviewers,, the lilm had no production code 

seal. 

Hamido turns from fishing to opium smuggling to get 

rich quick. He is engaged to a peasant girl, Saadieh, who 

makes a living by fortune-telling. She saves him several 

times from the police. Becoming wealthy, Hamido is infatuated 

with a dancer whose lover is a gang leader. He 

beats up the gang leader and takes over control of the 

gang; then takes Saadieh on a boat ride and leaves her 

to drov,'n when she falls oil the boat. She is rescued by a 

fisherman and taken to Hamido's boat. On the day of 

Hamido's wedding to the dancer, the police intervene. 

Hamido escapes to Jiis boat with a police launch in pursuit. 

He is shot down as Saadieh reproaches him for his unfaithfulness 

and participation in the narcotics traffic. 

Hoda Soultan, Farid Chawky, Tahio, Carioco. 

Mahmoud Meligui. 

CATCHLINES: 

A Tale ol Brutality, Intrigue and Romance . . . She Was 

Willing to give Her Lile For Him Yet She Took His . . . 

T.*ie Perils and the Fatal Payoif of Opium Smuggling Along 

•he Nile. 

1774 BOXOFHCE

, 

j 

' 

• 

( 

j 

REVIEWS 

Adiines for Newspaper and Prograis 

Three Cases oi Murder F ^, 

'°'"''' 

°""" 

Associated Artists 99 Minutes Rel- 

A well-done British-made drama, composed of a trio of 

murder mysteries by different authors, this is first-rate Jare 

for the art theatres, where Alan Badel (he scored in The 

Stranger Left No Card"), Elizabeth Sellars (recently m 

"Desiree" and "Prince of Players") and John Gregson (star 

of "Genevieve") are all familiar names. Orson Welles, who 

plays in the concluding episode, "Lord Montdrago" by 

Somerset Maugham, may have enough marquee draw for 

the better general situations. 

The opening episode, "In the Picture," is completely fantastic, 

but, as directed by Wendy Toye, it has a cretain fascination 

and it is excellently acted by Badel. The second, • 

"You Killed Elizabeth," was directed by David Eady and is a 

straight murder story dealing with two business partners 

in love )vith the same girl. The denouement comes as a 

surprise and it is well acted by Gregson and Emrys Jones. 

The last and longest episode, directed by George More 

O'Ferrall, is Maugham's tale of a dead man's revenge, and 

is notable for one of Vi/êlles' eccentric character portrayals, 

plus another fine performance by Badel, playing an idealistic 

Welshman. The picture was produced by Ian Dalrymple 

and Hugh Perceval with Alexander Paal as associate 

* 

producer. 

The three stories are joined together only by commentary 

and three exhibits in an art gallery, where an eerie-looking 

painting is the favoritp of the museum guide. The latter is' 

persuaded by a stranger to step into the painting, where he 

meets a strange assortment of people. The second painting 

is of two boys in a tree. These same two boys became 

friends and business^ partners in their adult life. John Gregson, 

the clever one, wins many hearts and when his plodding 

partner, Emrys Jones, falls in love with Elizabeth Sellars, 

Gregson's charm later sweeps her off her feet. After harsh 

words between the partners, Elizabeth is found murdered bi't 

a bartender leads the police to her killer. In the last stc 

" 

Orson Welles, a pompous Irish foreign secretary, hates i., 

Welsh rival and causes his political ruin and finally his 

death. However, the rival gets his revenge—even in death. 

Orson Welles, John Gregson, Elizabeth Sellars, Alan 

Badel, Leueen McGrath, Emrys Jones, Helen Cherry- 

CATCHLINES: 

Three Thrilling Tales of Suspense and Mystery Orson 

. . . 

Welles Stars in Somerset Maugham's Fascinating Tale of 

Lord Montdrago and His Nemesis. 

Holiday for Henriette 

A 

Ratio: 

Comcdy 

Standard 

Ardee Films 

103 Minutes 

Rel.- 

A witty, sophisticated and highly original French-language 

satire, produced and directed by Julien Duvivier,^ who rnade 

such notable foreign films as "Cornet de Bal" and "The 

Little World of Don Camillo," as well as "Tales of Manhattan" 

and other Hollywood pictures. The sexy interludes make 

it strictly adult fare and general audiences will be more 

annoyed than amused by the frequent cutting back to two 

excitable screen writers arguing about the next scene in the 

In addition to 

film. But 

Duvivier, 

art house devotees 

Hildegarde Neff, 

will deUght in it. 

who has a comparatively minor 

role, will be a name draw to class patrons because of her 

current Broadway stage hit in "Silk Stockings." The Jovely, 

fragile Dany Robin will also be remembered from "Act of 

Love," starring Kirk Douglas. 

Miss Robin is pert and appealing as the young Henriette, 

a complete contrast to Hildegarde Neffs alluring portrayal 

of a circus performer who seduces the youthful Michel Roux, 

who truly loves the heroine. 

The story, which is an original by Duvivier and Henri 

Jeanson, opens with two script writers plotting the action of 

their new film. One wants the love affair of ct Paris dressmaker 

and her photographer boy friend treated in straightforward 

fashion while the other wants to make it as a wild 

melodrama with gunfire and madmen roaming the streets. 

When Henriette's boy friend is unable to spend her birthday 

with her because he is assigned to photograph a glamorous 

circus performer, she wanders in the park and is picked up 

by a thief, who masquerades as an airline pilot. The thief 

takes Henriette with him to rob a palatial home. Meanwhile 

the photographer is seduced by the circus queen who then 

dismisses him. The two screenwriters finally bring Heni-iette 

and her boy friqnd together again—and then start disagreeing 

about a new screenplay with the same characters. Ardee 

is at 130 E. 58th St,, N. Y. C. 

Dany Robin, Michel Auclair, Hildegarde Neff, Michel 

Roux, Louis Seigner, Henry Cremieux, Daniel Invernel. 

CATCHLINES: 

Julien Duvivier's Brilliant Successor to His Memorable 

He V- 

"Cornet de Bal" . . . It's Mad . . . It's Merry and It's Different. 

177G 

BOXOFFICE 

SHORTS REVIEWS 

Bedlam in Paradise 

Columbia (Stooge Comedies) 16 Mins. 

Fair. An average reel with the "grunt and groan" comedians 

who specialize in old-fashioned slapstick methods. Shemp 

dies and goes' to Heaven, where the keeper tells him he 

won't be admitted until he goes back to earth and reforms 

Mo and Larry. He finds them mixed up in a shady deal with 

the Devil but he manages to save them before waking up 

v/ith the bed afire. It was all a dream. 

Fishing Paradise 

Columbia (World of Sports) 9 Mine. 

Good. A good sports reel dealing with a fishing trip taken 

by Maurice Richard, a hockey star who is also known for 

his angling prowess. The vast private preserve of the famed 

La Bariiere Fish and Game Club in Canada is visited in all 

its scenic beauty. Richard uses a spinning reel lor trout 

fishing because it eliminates backlash and we see him 

battling it out before the fish finally surrenders. Bill Stern's 

commentary is good. 

' 

Hollywood Fathers 

Columbia 10 Mins. 

Good. Producer Ralph Staub again utilizes one of his old 

reels and brings it up to date with a modern introduction 

by Glenn Ford, sitting with his 10-year-old son, watching 

himself with his son when he was only a tiny baby. He 

also sees shots of such famous father-and-son combinations 

' 

as Douglas Fairbanks sr. and jr., Bing Crosby and his young 

boys, Noah Beery sr. and jr. and Pat O'Brien, Jack Benny, 

Joe E. Brown, Harold Lloyd and Alan Mowbray with their i 

offspring, all made several years back. The old-timers 

• 

will enjoy this. 

Finders Keepers 

RKO (RKO-Pathe Special) 16 Mins. 1 

Good. The interesting story of a strange breed of men— 

] 

those who dive for long-lost treasure under the sea. As this ' 

picture shows, they occasionally find it and the Secretary of i 

the Treasury often gives 75 to 90 per cent to the finder. We 

T^ see Jacques Cousteau, the famous French aqua-lung diver, 

, 

bringing up relics from a Greek ship which sank in 100 B. C. 

The underwater shots are fascinating. 

Whatever Goes Up 

. 

Good. A novel short dealing with the very active sport 

of trampolining, nearest thing to flying without an airplane. 

George Nissen, form'er diving and tumbling champion, has < 

designed the gymnastic equipment, which looks like a bedspring, 

and he and Mrs. Nissen, with Frank LaDue, 

' 

jump 

up and down and are projected high into the air in a 

• 

series 

of graceful motions. Then the three show they are just as 

adept at diving into the swimming pool. 

Fire, Wind and Flood 

Warner Bros. (Warner Varieties) 9 Mins. 

j 

dis- Very good. Some of the most breath-taking scenes of 

I 

asters due to the forces of nature ever presented on ' 

the 

screen. Ships are seen battling violent seas, to 

homes torn 

bits by a hurricane, floods carrying away buildings and 

forest fires defying the efforts of man to control them. The 

scenes are truly spectacular from beginning to end. They 

will enthrall any audience. 

' 

Sandy Claws 

Warner Bros. (Merrie Melody) 7 Mins. 

Good. Granny leaves her Tweety Bird on a rock at the seashore 

while she dons a bathing suit. Sylvester tries to 

capture the bird in a variety of ways, using rod, reel and 

line, surfboard, motorboat and diver's suit, but is defeated by 

the rising tide. Tweety finally paddles' ashore in his cage and 

Sylvester gives up. Some scenes are quite amusing and some 

are only moderately so. 

Churchill—Man of the Century 

British Inl. Services (Documentary) 21 Mins. 

Good. With Churchill in the headlines due to his recent 

resignation, this biographical documentary of the great 

British leader is particularly timely. Mostly newsreels shots, 

it gives highlights of his' career from his entry into the 

British army in 1895 to his recent 80th birthday celebration, 

when he received the much-publicized painting by Graham 

Sutherland. In between are many war scenes, including the 

historic conferences with Roosevelt and Stalin at Yalta. This 

short rates ma.-quee billing in many spots. 

May 21, 1955 1773 

*

S Sc per word, minimum SI. 50, cash with copy. Four consecutive insertions lor pric 

g CLOSING DATE: Monday noon preceding publication date. Send copy i 

.era to Box Numbers to BOXOFFICE, 825 Van Brunt Blvd., Kansas City 24. Mo. 

HELP WANTED 

n lantid— KMi.Tirrunl ^hnuman to take 

.p.ilnii of iiiily thiMli.' Ill town. Cliamber 

Kin- bai-klnt. "^"ihI oiiii..rIunlty, prospiT- 

[rl lural area. Write A. J. KLscher, Wall 

CI l«r ot Commcrcf, Wall Lake, 

POSmONS WANTED 

llDiofllc. 5868. 

njst or manager: 26 years evpetience 

inje, any location. .Altec references, 

w V projection-sound. Phone, wire or 

-. Wi.son, Jr., Keyser. West Va. 

Kffced manager, operator and maintenance 

change. Prefer Florida or West. 

Ion manager. Drive-In and Indoor. 

Age 34. Salary open. Boxofflce, 

nist-manager. 25 years experience. All 

lis. Maintenance, exploitation. Wife 

jJ'esslons optional. Boxofflce, 5873. 

hreitheatre manager, experienced all phases. 

i: iir.nces, prefer year around drive-in 

Married, two children. Available 

tiiitice. All replies acknowledged. 

It manager, theatre executive, buyer, 

lb icist conventional or drive-in operjjl.cble 

after .May 21st. Boxofflce, 5881. 

ISINESS STIMULATORS 

Ni; MORE ACTION! $4.50M cards. Other 

lil..lile. oii-Mll screen. .Novelty Games Co., 

\M Me., Urdoklyn. N. Y. 

lilill tendance with real Hawaiian orchids. 

m( Mch, Write Klowers of Hawaii. 670 

tliê Park Place, Los Angeles 5, Calif. 

I(G|)IE-CUT CARDS. Increase your box- 

100 niimliers. $4,50 per Best 

'. iir .M. 

I, ;mlum Products, 339 West 44th St., 

VJ :ili. N. Y. 

Hi 

boohs for all age groups. All types, 

ê.st inventory and greatest variety, 

iiiisaiid. 2.500 copies prepaid. The 

llox 312, Owensboro, Ky. 

., 

r best, cheapest advertising. 

increases concession sales for 

aries. Special pictures. Plain 

free. Southern Balloons, 146 B 

lyjockelt flashlight & key chain. Red 

.lienor theatre promotions—sample 50c. 

f Mack Enterprises, Centralia, Illinois. 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—USED 

Star's offerings greater tlian ever! Super-Simplex 

mechanisms, recently rebuilt, one year guaranlcc, 

$450 pair; Standald Simplex rear shutter mechanisms, 

as aboie, $2a5 pair: E7 movements, $69; 

Strong Mogul 70 ampere lamphouscs, rebuilt, new 

rellectors, $489.30 pair; lenses and screens at 

rock-bottom prices. Star Cinema Supply, 44" 

W. 52nd St., .New York 19. 

Good as new, used 4 drive-in seasons: 2 

roiig Mogul 70 amp lamps, $300; two Monograph 

100 amp lamps $300; one Century 80-160 

.Motor generator complete $400. Charleston The- 

.itre Supply, Charleston, West Va. 

Complete booth and screen outfit. Brenkert 

35mm projectors, RCA sound and speakers. New 

in 1947. never used. $1,750. Also 6-B Powers 

pro ectors, .Mazda lamps, RCA sound. $130. G. M. 

.McLaughlin. 350« West Pikes Peak, Colorado 

Springs, 

Colorado. 

For Sale— One pair of Simplex high intensity 

IKW lamps and one pair rectifiers all tor $630, 

Wayzata Theatre, Wayzata, Minn. 

GENERAL EQUIPMENT—NEW 

Special surplus screen sale— all new! Perforated 

beaded lace-grommet, 15'6"x20'6"—$75 (frame 

$251 ; 

,solld 

solid 6-8"x9'3"— 

Springroller 8'7"xir7"—$75; 

$25; solid irxll'—$35; 

solid ropeimlley, 

ll'xl4'— $75. Dept. CC, S.OS. Cinema 

Supply Corp.. 602 W. 52nd St., New York 19. 

Attention Holmes users! Intermittent movements 

(less flywheelsl. $49 pair; starw heel-sprocket 

assembly, $10 each; l.OOOW T-20 C-13D Mogul 

Pref. lamps, $25 dozen ($3.95 each). Dept. CC. 

S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp., 602 W. 52nd St., 

New York 19. 

Perfect pair, perfectly priced! Combination pair 

Cinematic IV adjustable anamorphic lenses and 

pair Snaplite Series II prime projection lenses, all 

for $595; Mlrroclaric metalized seamless screen, 

sq. ft. S9c Dept. CC. S.O.S. Cinema Supply Corp., 

602 W. 32nd St.. New York 19. 

Brand new 25" magazines made of heavy gauge 

steel with new style dished cover and cast iron 

mounting brackets, black wrinkle finish outside 

and baked white enamel inside. Will take the 

shafts, take-up assemblies and fire valves from 

your 16" 18" magazines. $25.00 per 

old or 

pair, a pair consisting of one upper and one 

lower magazine. Boxoffice. 5860. 

For Sale—Pair brand new Bausch & Lomb 4y2" 

f :8 1 super Cinephor lens. Never been unwrapped. 

$225 cash. Bob E. Thomas. Strawberry Point, 

Iowa. Phone 183. 

"Jackson's" automatic Reel-Alarms. Really 

rvelous $21.50 pair, All dealers'. Mfrs. Ameri- 

1 Theatre Supply. Seattle 1, Washington. 

DRIVE-IN THEATRE EQUIPMENT 

Your best CineraaScope buy. Cinematic IV 

adjustable Prismatic Anamorphic lenses plus Snaplite 

Series II prime lenses, all for $395. .\vailable 

on time. Dept. CC. S.O.S. Cinema Supply 

Corporation. 602 W. 52nd Street, New York 19. 

Drive-in theatre speakers 

LCLEflRlllG HOUSf 

THEATRES FOR SALE 

Eleventh year exclusive theatres sales, oildwesisouthwest. 

Hundreds satisfied Clients. 35 years 

perlence. "Ask any showman." Arthur Leak, 

Specialist, 3305 Caruth, Dallas, Texas.

and th 

WITH MARA CORDAY BARTON MacLANE FRIEDA INESCORT • • • Directed by JOSEPH PEVNEY • screenplay by KEni FRINGS • Produced by AARON

Boxoffice-May.21.1955

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