Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1961)

MILWAUKEE gcreen star Dennis Morgan has been named president-elect of the Carroll College Alumni Ass'n for a two-year term, according to Joseph Adams, director of alumni relations at the college. Morgan, who is a 1930 graduate of Carroll College, assumes his new position July 1. He is a native of Prentice, Wis. At Carroll, he was active in athletics, drama and voice. His interest in drama and voice guided him toward radio and light opera after his graduation. After a stint on local WTMJ, he went to Hollywood and became a star for Warner Bros. He eventually appeared in some 40 films. Salome Jens, star of “Angel Baby,” whose parents operate a cocktail lounge on Pewaukee Lake near here, was escorted on a round of interviews and personal appearances by Bud Rose, local AA manager. His efforts produced a wealth of publicity. Side issues on the personal appearance of Allied Artists’ Salome Jens here: Louis Orlove, publicity director for 20th Century-Fox here, boarded the plane Miss Jens was leaving, wondering what all the commotion was about, with photographers, newsreel men, models, etc., awaiting her, until he spotted “Bud” Rose . . . Tony LaPorte, Avalon Theatre, was proud of the fact that he had Miss Jens as a cashier at his theatre when she was in her teens . . . The film was ably reviewed by Ben Waxe in the Journal . . . The press luncheon Rose threw at Madison included plugs for “Dondi,” “David and Goliath,” as well as for “Angel Baby.” Before Mr. and Mrs. Ben Marcus left for Frisco, Ben and Bernie Strachota went into a huddle on the forthcoming premiere of “On the Double,” which brings Danny Kaye here to help the Variety Club’s Epilepsy Clinic fund-raising campaign. Marcus, who heads a cix-cuit bearing his name, and Bernie, chief barker, are handling all the arrangements. The affair will be held at the Riverside Theatre. Filmrow: George Levine, Layton Theatre, §§ssm\\\\iw//00^; T WATCH PROJECTION IMPROVE with ECHNIKOVE S PRODUCTS Now!— The Only ANTI-STATIC SCREEN Available from your authorized Theatre Equipment Supply Dealer: Export— Westrex Corp. [TECHNIKOTE CORP. 63 Seobring St., B'klyn 31, Speaker Rebuilding Aluminum Voice Coils MoistureProofed 3-4-5" $1.10 " WALLACE SPEAKER RECONING 712 Rose Ave. Des Moines, Iowa celebrated his birthday up at Eagle River . . . Russ Mortensen, vice-president, Standard Theatres, returned from a swing about the circuit . . . Steve Johnson, Wisconsin Theatre, Sheboygan, reports a renovation job on his theatre . . . A1 Elewitz, Sunday editor, Milwaukee Sentinel, who spends much of his time along Filmrow, took daughter Beth to Omaha to visit her grandparents, thence to New York for a little vacationing. Harry Mintz, Stanley Warner executive, and his wife returned from New York . . . Sig Goldberg, Hollywood Drive-In, Wausau, was in booking . . . Ward Pennington, Paramount, Iron Mountain, was here to confer with Tom Renn, head of the Thomas circuit . . . Dean Fitzgerald, who heads Capitol Service, and Angelo Porchetta, booker-buyer, have a path worn between here and Madison . . . Joe Strothers, Marcus Management, went to Chicago with a big deal pending. Mrs. John Bates returned from the hospital. Her husband is office manager and booker at Allied Artists . . . Jim Robinson, U-I office manager and booker, recently purchased a home in Waukesha . . . U-I manager Pat Halloran was doing a swing around the territory — WB’s Moe Dudleson, likewise . . . A1 Frank, general manager of Wisconsin Amusement, returned from New York . . . UA’s Joe Imhom was in Chicago for conferences . . . Columbia’s Harry Olshan returned from the Upper Peninsula . . . Cards are beginning to arrive from Italy saying, “Wish you were here,” from retired Journal Amusement editor Larry Lawrence. “Vi” Smith, manager of the swanky Steak Ranch, where Filmrowites have been meeting so often of late, has been trying to work out a plan to make room for the headquarters of the Variety Club. The way they pack ’em in over there gives rise to the thought that the Variety Club powersthat-be may be forced to look elsewhere. Last minute laugh: This one was on producer Frank Woods at the airport on the plane with Milwaukee’s Salome Jens, in his picture “Angel Baby.” After all the photographers were through popping bulbs, Woods, last one to leave the plane, was asked if he wouldn’t like to be in one of the shots. Said Woods: “Don’t matter.” Then, when he was asked who he was. Woods replied: “I’m only the producer!” DES MOINES p R. “Bob” Brownell has purchased the Monte Theatre building in Montezuma from Dr. Katherine Davis and plans to remodel it for his business, Brownell Industries, Inc. . . . Fire destroyed the old Princess Theatre building in Hopkinton, which had been unoccupied for the last ten years. The building is owned by Ernest Landis of Monticello . . . Another fire did a smaller amount of damage to the Firemen’s Theatre in New Hampton recently. The New Grand Theatre of Eldora was closed for four days during graduation week, but has now reopened . . . Elmer Svendsen, manager of the Roxy Theatre in Alta, discontinued Sunday matinees for the summer. Shows will be presented on Friday and Saturday nights only. Mary Pickford, former film star, and her husband, Charles “Buddy” Rogers, returned to Iowa Wesleyan College campus, Mount Pleasant, June 2 for commencement activities. Miss Pickford presented to the college a 17th century painting of Lady Jane Denbigh by Sir Peter Lely. She was on the campus in 1957 to receive an honorary degree. Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Klinefelter have closed the Roxie Theatre at Peterson because of lack of patronage . . . More than 150 people in Creston heard a panel discussion of the type of movies being produced and shown in an “Operation Concern” meeting held at the First Christian Church under sponsorship of the Creston Council of Church women, the PTA Council and St. Malechy’s PTA. Members of the panel were Evan Hultman, Iowa attorney general: Mrs. Marcus Aurelius, Mrs. Donald D. Mullin, Robert Robinson, and John Newcomer, manager of the Strand and Skylark drive-in theatres in Creston. Donald F. Beisswenger was moderator of the panel discussion. The opening of the Roxy Theatre in Armstrong which is operating under the new ownership of the Armstrong Promoters, was attended by 224. The theatre was purchased recently by the organization from Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Wegner. W. B. Clinton Managing Dr Pepper's Zone 27 DALLAS — William B. Clinton has joined the Dr Pepper Co. as manager of Zone 27 in the western division. He will call on Dr Pepper bottling plants in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Before joining the company, he was associated with the bottling industry in the northwestern area of the United States. Clinton was one of four men named to zone manager posts in its national field sales organization. Two were elevated from within the organization and two after receiving their appointments underwent extensive training in the company’s national headquarters’ sales training department here. The others are Thomas W. Delaney, assigned to the northwest territory; Donald L. Hall, headquartered in Gainesville, Fla., and William R. Snyder, who will head Zone 21 with headquarters in Chicago. Lyons Theatre in Clinton Remodeled by New Owner CLINTON, IOWA— The Lyons Theatre, purchased recently by the Central States Theatre Corp., has been extensively remodeled under the direction of Herb Loeffler, construction supervisor. The theatre maintained its regular schedules throughout the renovation program. Remodeling on the front of the building included new metal and glass doors, installation of new ticket window and automatic ticket dispensing machine and painting marquee. Other projects include new tile in the lobby, carpeting the foyer and aisles, new light fixtures in lobby and auditorium, new automatically controlled curtains on stage, new concessions department and extensive changes in the projection room, including more modern equipment. NC-4 BOXOFFICE :: June 12, 1961