Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1962)

W.H. Ostenberg, His Four Theatres In Good Hands, Ends Film Career All Omaha Offerings Go Above Average OMAHA — Five holdovers chalked up above average grosses here in Omaha. Pace-setter was “Seven Wonders of the World” at the Cooper Theatre. “Flower Drum Song” at the Orpheum held up strong after a bang-up first week and “Babes in Toyland” had a good third week. (Average Is 100) Admiral — Fighter Attack (AA); The Tall Stranger (AA), reissues 110 Cooper — Seven Wonders of the World (Cinerama), 7th wk 135 Dundee — The King and I (20th-Fox), reissue, 7tih wk 115 Omaha — The Errand Boy (Pora), 2nd wk 110 Orpheum — Flower Drum Song (U-l), 2nd wk 125 State — Babes in Toyland (BV), 3rd wk 120 'Twist Around Clock' Okay As Sole Mill City Opener MINNEAPOLIS — “One, Two, Three” in its fourth week at the St. Louis Park Theatre continued to be the leader among all offerings in the city with a rating of 175 per cent. The only new attraction, “Twist Around the Clock” at the Lyric, just did make the “top hit” category, with a 120 per cent rating. Academy — King of Kings (MGM), 10th wk 90 Avalon — Not Tonight, Henry (IFD); Sapphire (U-l), revival, 3rd wk 150 Century — South Seas Adventure (Cinerama), 1 0 th wk., 8 days 135 Gopher — Pocketful of Miracles (UA), 4th wk. ..100 Lyric — Twist Around the Clock (Col) 120 Mann — Flower Drum Song (U-l), 4th wk 130 St. Louis Park — One, Two, Three (UA), 4th wk. 175 State — The Second Time Around (20th-Fox), 2nd wk ] 00 Uptown — Purple Noon (Times), 2nd wk 100 World — The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (WB), 3rd wk 90 'Bachelor Flat' Defies Zero In Good Milwaukee Opening MILWAUKEE — Below-zero temperatures didn’t help patronage in local theatres, managers agreed, but several situations managed to show outstanding scores despite the bone-chilling weather. “King of Kings” and “South Seas Adventure” did very well, and “Bachelor Flat” had a satisfying 200 per cent week at the Wisconsin. Downer — Man in the Moon (Trans-Lux), 2nd wk. 125 Oriental — The Second Time Around (20th-Fox), 3rd wk 125 Palace — South Seas Adventure (Cinerama), 3rd wk 250 Riverside — Babes in Toyland (BV), 3rd wk. ’ . . 135 Strand — King of Kings (MGM), 2nd wk 300 Times — Mary Had a Little (UA), 2nd wk 150 Tower— -The Second Time Around (20th-fox), 3rd wk 175 Towne — Flower Drum Song (U-l), 3rd wk. 1 50 Warner — The Errand Boy (Para), 2nd wk 150 Wisconsin — Bachelor Flat (20th-Fox) 200 A Carl White Houseful OMAHA — Carl White, veteran owner of Quality Theatre Supply Co. of Omaha, had a humming houseful when his daughter-inlaw, Mrs. John White of Hagerstown, Md., and her five children visited. Carl White’s son John died last fall after a relatively short illness. Their visiting grandchildren: John, Terry, David, Bruce and Pamella. Plum City Theatre Sold PLUM CITY, WIS.— The Plum City Theatre, built in 1938, has been sold by village trustees to Jim Glaus, a local merchant, who plans to remodel the upstairs into a store. The village will have free use of the basement for elections and meetings for 20 years. The theatre has been closed for several years. SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB.— The film industry career of the dean of exhibitors in this high plains area ended here Sunday (14) with the formal transfer by the Midwest Realty & Amusement Co. of its four theatre properties in Scottsbluff and Gering to Commonwealth Theatres, Inc., of Kansas City. W. H. Ostenberg, who has developed and operated theatres here for more than 40 years, completed the sale, effective the 14th, of the Midwest, Bluffs and Oto theatres here and the Grove in Gering on Wednesday. That evening he entertained Richard Orear, Commonwealth president: M. B. Smith, vice-president in charge of advertising: Doug Lightner, general manager of theatre operations, and Wally Kemp, district manager, at a dinner. Other guests included Mayor William Nichols; Paul Harm, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, and Floyd Wisner, of the Star Herald, and 25 business leaders. The transfer climaxed the acquisition of six exhibition properties in this area by Commonwealth since last fall, when the Biggers Drive-In (575 cars) was purchased from Floyd Biggers and the 1,000-car Terryton Drive-In was bought from Terry Carpenter. OVER $500,000 INVESTED The investment in the six theatres is estimated at well in excess of $500,000. Commonwealth also has Nebraska theatre properties at North Platte and Grand Island. At the dinner, Ostenberg said the sale of his theatres had been contemplated for the past three years. He commented that he feels Commonwealth can do a fine job for the North Platte valley and said he would not have sold his interests if he did not feel this were true. Ostenberg’s name has been synonymous with Scottsbluff and North Platte valley theatre operations for two generations. He was the oldest active operating theatre owner in this Rocky mountain-high plains area. BORN IN EASTERN NEBRASKA He was born at Malmo in eastern Nebraska and was graduated from the Nebraska Military Academy. During his school years he studied the theatre and worked as an usher and ticket taker at the Orpheum and Brandeis theatres in Omaha. At one time he took small parts in plays in the old Boyd Theatre in Omaha. After leaving school he went to the potash fields east of Alliance in western Nebraska and operated his first theatre at a little settlement known as Hoffland, a 125-seat affair for potash workers. Later he added another theatre at Antioch. He later sold both and moved to Alliance. In February 1919 he came to Scottsbluff and purchased the Orpheum after it had been closed for some time because of the flu epidemic. Next he acquired the old Star Theatre, which later was called the Sun and which finally closed when the Egyptian Theatre was built in 1927. Ostenberg proudly recalls that the Egyptian was known throughout the region as one of the most elaborate Richard H. Orear, left, president of Commonwealth Theatres, with headquarters in Kansas City, signs the papers for the purchase of four theatres in Scottsbluff, Neb. with W. H. Ostenberg, owner of the theatres. The final papers were consummated on Wednesday, and the properties were taken over by Commonwealth Sunday (14). theatres of the era. At one time he owned and operated a number of other theatres in North Platte river valley towns. In 1929 the Egyptian was equipped with sound, the first in western Nebraska. Bill Boston, who started as a bill peddler for Ostenberg theatres while in high school, became the manager. He will serve as Commonwealth’s city manager. On March 5, 1945, the Egyptian burned to the ground. Before the ashes had cooled Ostenberg’s crews were busy working on the Oto Theatre to put it in shape to fill the gap temporarily. Ostenberg opened his new Midwest May 3, 1946, on the site of the old Egyptian. The veteran exhibitor recalled the “heydays” of the 1920s, the depression years of the 1930s and the World War II period which brought a rush of prosperity. He believes the biggest impact has been from television but that the effect is wearing off, although he finds patrons much more selective. Top movies again are bringing out boxoffice lineup crowds in the midwest, he said. He and Boston assert “The Robe” was their top grosser of all time. Ostenberg plans to maintain his residence here. He has other business interests and is a director of the Scottsbluff National Bank. Theatre in Stevens Point Opens After 4 Dark Years STEVENS POINT, WIS. — The Lyric Theatre, closed for four years, was reopened recently under the management of the Wisconsin Amusement Corp., which also runs the Fox Theatre at 444 Main St. The Lyric Building, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lee H. Cranston, Green Bay, was leased last fall to Frank Bluhm of Wausau, and the Wisconsin Amusement Corp. later took over from Bluhm. Edward Conn, formerly of Phillips, is the new Lyric manager. The theatre, which was remodeled prior to being reopened, is operating seven days a week. BOXOFFICE :: January 22, 1962 NC-1