Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

2 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, December 29, I960 PERSONAL MENTION MM. ROSEN, personnel director • at the MGM home offices, has left here for a vacation in Hawaii. Peter Sellers, starred in 20th Century-Fox's forthcoming "The Millionairess," is scheduled to arrive in New York on Feb. 1 to participate in promotional activity for the picture. R. J. "Hap" Barnes, president of ABC Theatrical Enterprises, Atlanta, has left there for a business trip to Florida. • Miriam Colon, featured in "OneEyed Jacks" for Paramount, has returned to Hollywood from New York. • Johnnie Harrell, head buyer for Martin Theatres, Atlanta, has returned there from Jacksonville. Loew's Shifts Brown To St. Louis Theatres Special to THE DAILY BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 28. Loew's Theatres shifted Louis A. Brown, advertising and public relations director for the northeastern division of Loew's Theatres, including the Orpheum in Boston, to St. Louis, Mo., where Loew's has two large downtown houses. Charles Kurtzman, executive in charge of all Loew's out of town theatres, and William E. Elder, eastern division manager of Loew's Theatres, announced the changes. James Tibbetts, manager of Loew's Orpheum, Boston, becomes also advertising director and public relations director. Brown came to Boston 16 months ago after serving in a similar capacity for Loew's Poli New England Theatres, with headquarters in New Haven, for nearly 20 years. CONCESSION SALES with CONCESSION , TRAILERS from NATIONAL ^ \ SCREEN^ 'Suzie Wong' Paces Business at Washington, D.C., For Holiday, Doing 60% Better Than Film Last Year From THE DAILY Bureau WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.-"The World of Suzie Wong" at the Town Theatre is doing about 60 per cent better than "Li'l Abner" was grossing a year ago. Loew's Palace reports that "Butterfield 8," even though it has been playing almost eight weeks, is comparable to the year before. "The Three Worlds of Gulliver" at Loew's Capitol is about 15 per cent better than last year's grosses. "The Facts of Life" at Keith's is doing very well although its receipts are about 20 per cent lower than those taken in last year for "On the Beach," a movie that did unusually well in Washington. "Wackiest Ship in the Army" at the Trans Lux is doing exceedingly well but so did "Anatomy of a Murder" which played during 1959's closing days. Smash business is reported for "Never on Sunday" at the Dupont. Manager Jean Imhoff points out that business is up 400 per cent over grosses for 'libel" which did not do well last year. The KB chain has a hit with "Make Mine Mink" at the MacArthur. Receipts are almost four times higher than with "The Mouse That Roared" last year. "Midnight Lace," closing out at the Ontario, had grosses twice as high as "Happy Anniversary" last year and "The Grass Is Greener," coming in now, is expected to do even better. U.K. Industry (Continued from page 1) per cent, and in 1958 and 1957, it was 17 per cent. The 1960 theatre gross is estimated at £65,000,000 ( $182,000,000), some six per cent lower than 1959. The average 1960 admission price was 30 pence, compared to 27.7 pence the year before. This is due principally to increased admission prices but also to an upward drift in overage grosses in the course of the year. The number of theatres operating declined from 3,450 at the end of 1959 to some 3,100 at the end of 1960. The estimated net closings of 350 in 1960 compares with 440 closings in 1959. Rentals Off Slightly The gross film rentals charged by distributors in 1959 were £19,300,000 ($54,040,000), compared to £21,400,000 ($59,920,000) in 1958. Of this £7,900,000 was for British films and £ 10,900,000 for films from the dollar area. 'Alamo' Does $25,300 John Wayne's Todd-AO production of "The Alamo" grossed an outstanding $25,300 for the ninth week of its road-show engagement at the Rivoli Theatre on Broadway, it was announced by United Artists. Holiday Notice MOTION PICTURE DAILY will not be published tomorrow, Dec. 30, nor Monday, Jan. 2, because of the New Year holiday. Albany Yule Business Fair; 'Swiss' Strong Special to THE DAILY ALBANY, N. Y., Dec. 28.-"Swiss Family Robinson" proved the picture doing the most to thaw out some of the holiday box-office freeze in the Albany exchange district. The Buena Vista release, which played Fabian's Palace here, as well as a number of out-of-town first runs, was a particularly strong matinee draw. Local matinee children's admission was 50 cents. Patronage on Christmas Day was generally "off." Monday's trade ranged from good to poor, depending on the situation and the picture. Spring-like weather both days was not considered helpful. "Ben-Hur," in its 13th week at the Stanley Warner Ritz, rebounded the day after Christmas. The Metro spectacle has played to an estimated 70,000 persons, at $4 and $2.50 top. Ten per cent of this, school children, paid a group rate of 90 cents. Support from Catholic institutions has been unusually strong. Utica Engagement Ends A "Ben-Hur" eight-week engagement at Kallet's Uptown, Utica, ended last Wednesday, when "The 3 Worlds of Gulliver" followed. "Flaming Star" reportedly was nonmeteoric, but fair, on its first regular showing in Watertown. "North to Alaska" moved ahead nicely in smaller situations. Summarizing, it can be said that this year's pre-Christmas slump was deep, due to product weakness, weather and other unfavorable factors; that holiday ticket-buying fell below the 1959 level. Industry men hope for a bigger New Year's weekend attendance. Urge Soviet Films On Ghana Theatres Special to THE DAILY ACCRA, Ghana, Dec. 24 (By Air Mail). — Theatre owners and other, film distributors here have been told by the Ghana Ministry of Information that it wants to see Soviet films exhibited in Ghana theatres. The government film board reportedly has rejected 80 per cent of the films here, including many United States and British productions. The exhibitors and distributors had attempted to protest the board's censor-, ship controls, asserting that their effeet would be to make it virtually impossible to acquire new films for January showings. The Minister of Information suggested they obtain films from the Soviet Union. Insurers Reject ( Continued from page 1 ) brokers said, "No doubt there will be a compromise on a lower figure." Meanwhile, Miss Taylor began tests at Pinewood Studios today, with shooting scheduled to resume in January. However, a final decision on this awaits further conferences with Spyros Skouras, 20th Century-Fox president, in New York. 1 'Suzie11 Top Grosser Bay Stark's "The World of Suzie Wong" is registering top grosses in its current pre release engagements playing to capacity audiences in every situation, according to consolidated reports. The Paramount release set a new single day's record at the Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, on Sunday grossing $10,014. The Technicolor drama registered $27,734 for the four days ending Monday at the show 'Exodus' to Seattle Otto Preminger's "Exodus" will have its Seattle, Wash., premiere at the Blue Mouse Theatre on Mar. 1, starting an exclusive, unlimited, reserved-seat engagement. Mail orders for seats are being accepted now. "Exodus" will play ten performances weekly. NEW YORK THEATRES — RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL — , Rockefeller Center • Ci 6-4600 DEBORAH ROBERT PETER KERR • MITCHUM • USTINOV IN FRED ZINNEMANN'S PRODUCTION OF "THE SUNDOWNERS" A WARNER BROS. 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