Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

CONTENDERS FOR QU1GLE 1 A WARDS Finalists at the end of the Third Quarter , September 30 , 1956 Be OptimisticIf You Want To Build Business JIMMY BARNETT Olympia, Miami, Fla. W. H. BELLE Laurelton Laurelton, N. Y. SAM J. BERMAN Drive-In St. Thomas, Can. MERLE R. BLAIR Regent Cedar Falls, la. BILL BLAKE Warfield San Francisco, Cal. W. BLONDELL Capitol Niagara Falls, Can. FRANK BUDD Odeon Melbourne, Aust. BARRY CARNON Hyland, Toronto, Can. RODNEY COLLIER Stanley Baltimore, Md. J. J. COLLINS State, Melbourne, Aust. BOB COX Strand, Lexington, Ky. R. J. CRABB Lyric Wellingborough, Eng. RAY E. DAVID Star-Lite Drive-In Chadron, Nebr. BERNIE DE PA Savannah Savannah, Ga. ELMER N. DE WITT Valentine, Defiance, O. J. Dl BENEDETTO Poli, Worcester, Mass. BOB DIEM Colonial, Reading, Pa. MAURICE DRUKER Midland Kansas City, Mo. W. V. DWORSKI Harris, Findlay, O. BILL ELDER Warfield San Francisco, Cal. H. N. EVERHART State, Walker, Mi nn. ED FORCE RKO Brandeis Omaha, Nebr. LEE E. FRASER Bloomfield Birmingham, Mich. MEL GAITSKILL Paris, Paris, Ky. J. A. GALLACHER Regal Kilmarneck, Scot. ARNOLD GATES State, Cleveland, O. CHARLES GAUDINO Poli, Springfield, Mass. ELAINE S. GEORGE Star, Heppner, Ore. GERRY GERMAINE Capitol Steubenville, O. SAM GILMAN State, Syracuse, N. Y. E. L. GROVES Gaumont Finsbury Park, Eng. EARL HALLFORD Crisp, Cordele, Ga. ARTHUR HALLOCK Paramount Baltimore, Md. JAY HANDELMAN Rio, Detroit, Mich. JIM C. HAWKINS State, Columbia, S. C. BILL HENDLEY Majestic Gettysburg, Pa. FRANK HENSON State, St. Louis, Mo. W. A. HOFFMAN Dade Lincoln Theatres Miami Beach, N. Y. EDDIE HOOD Valencia, Macon, Mo. RIC JAVIER Parament Films Manila, P. I. GEOFF JONES Roxy, Newmarket, Can. DAVID KAPLAN Trans Lux, Boston, Mass. MELVIN KATZ Embassy, Johnstown, Pa. JAY KING Yorktown, Elkins Pk., Pa. SID KLEPER College New Haven, Conn. FRANK LAWSON Danforth Toronto, Can. MEL G. LAWTON Prince Edward Sydney, Aust. FOSTER LEIDERBACH Strand Cumberland, Md. JOHN LONG BOTTOM Odeon Middlesbrough, Eng. DOMINICK LUCENTE Broadway Philadelphia, Pa. ABE LUDACER Valentine, Toledo, O. A. MC CLELLAND Majestic Launceston, Aust. FRANK MANENTE Stillman, Cleveland, O. CECILIA MANTUS Paramount Films Barcelona, Spain J. R. MARONEY His Majesty's Hobart, Australia TONY MASELLA Palace, Meriden, Conn. VIC NOWE Odeon, Toronto, Can. MILLARD OCHS Strand, Akron, O. FRANK OSTEROTH Tri City Drive-In Iron Mt., Mich. GEORGE PETERS Loew's, Richmond, Va. CHARLEY PINCUS Esquire, Stockton, Cal. SID POPPAY Strand, York, Pa. GEORGE W. PUGH Rialto Glens Falls, N. Y. WILLIAM QUEST Odeon, London, Eng. C. E. RAINEY Odeon, Norwich, Eng. MARVIN REED Riviera Coral Gables, Fla. D. C. REES Odeon, Sketty, Eng. R. M. RICHARDS Majestic Melbourne, Aust. ALBERT ROLSTON Princess Little Current, Can. ROBERT E. ROSEN Dakota Bismarck, N. Dak. MORRIS ROSENTHAL Poli, New Haven, Conn. FRED ROSS Dixie Drive-In Sequin, Texas HERBERT ROYSTER Broadway Portland, Ore. MAX RUBIN Paramount Syracuse, N. Y. R. M. SAVAGE Gaumont Chichester, Eng. J. A. SCARDIFIELD Odeon, Dover, Eng. F. B. SC H LAX Kenosha, Kenosha, Wis. N. SCOTTBUCCLEUCH Longdale, Carlisle, Eng. FARRIS SHANBOUR Criterion Oklahoma City, Okla. DELMAR SHERRILL Otis Air Force Base Falmouth, Mass. S. L. SORKIN RKO Keith's Syracuse, N. Y. MURRAY SPECTOR Central Jersey City, N. J. NEVILLE SPRIGGS Southern Cross Salisbury, Africa JOHN STEARNS Keith's, Indianapolis CHRISTINE SUTTON Metro, Abilene, Texas MYRON TALMAN Ritz, Los Angeles, Cal. W. J. TRAMBUKIS State, Providence, R. I. BOB WALKER Uintah, Fruita, Colo. H. P. WALSHAW Odeon, Plymouth, Eng. H. W. WATSON Odeon Peterborough, Can. F. A. WIGGINS State, Minneapolis G. WILLIAMS Regent, Chatham, Eng. WILLIAM H. WILSON Paramount Edmonton, Can. SAM WORMUS Rialto, Loveland, Colo. AL W. YAHRAUS Bryan, Bryan, Ohio ZEVA YOVAN Palace, Memphis, Tenn. CHICAGO: A week to week check among exhibitors in every area of the city would present a discouraging picture of theatre business — if it were not for the optimistic reports from some who are thinking along practical “business building’’ lines, according to a story we have received from showmen. Every week some managers give out gloomy reports, about business getting worse and worse, and they just don’t see how they are going to survive. At the same time, other managers in charge of the same type theatres, and in the same sort of neighborhoods, say that in addition to good product, it is showmanship that pays off. By this, they mean such tried and true schemes as community tie-ins, “gimmick” ideas, and a revival of stunts which have aided the theatre in years past. Balaban and Katz, for example, have started a Mickey Mouse Club in eleven theatres, with the program living up to all expectations, for pepping up business and setting a precedent of “going to the movies” among the children. It follows the pattern of the well-known Mickey Mouse shows, long popular in motion picture theatres. You can’t very well congregate so many cheering kids around a television set. Features To Build lip Interest in Movies To augment the “good citizenship” theme, there are educational and constructive short films slanted for the children’s interest, and worthwhile prizes are promoted from merchant sponsors on a city-wide basis. One of the top prizes featured is a trip to Disneyland in California. The Beverly, a neighborhood house that reports optimistically every week, is reviving its “Fall Book Review” series, which are held every Tuesday during the Autumn months. A counter of premium merchandise at the Belmont theatre, calling for coupon points and cash, is working advantageously at all performances. Permitting children under 12 for free, when accompanied by their parents, has increased business 22 per cent. These activities form but a small segment of the business building program in theatres which state there is no reason to complain about results at the box office. This same attitude was expressed frequently at the TOA convention in New York, when some managers took a defeatist attitude, and talked down their own business, while others had an exactly opposite point of view, and told of how well they were doing with good oldfashioned showmanship, in the face of new competition. 40 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 6, 1956