Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1962)

Miami Siudio Starts Production March 15 MIAMI — Thunderbird Film Sound Center starts its initial production operations March 15. According to Howard Warren, executive vice-president, the new $2,000,000 film studio being erected on a block fronting on N. E. 121st St. and 15th Ave., began shooting on TV star Jack Barry’s show about March 12 while the rest of the equipment will be made ready for complete production use in a few days. Warren explained that the studio will not only be the largest in the South, but it is expected to rival some of the studios now being used for television and motion pictures in New York and Hollywood. The studio consists of five buildings. One building will house a 32 -foot high sound stage, running 150 feet in length and 50 feet wide. This will be the largest sound stage in southeastern U. S. The other buildings will house administrative offices, projection rooms, recording studios, scoring and dubbing departments, and a large prop room containing present and past background pictures of the Florida area. Right after the Barry show, the studio will go into production on the TV Everglades series, to be produced by ZivUnited Artists Corp. Also on the schedule are two features, one is a comedy, “Honeymoon Shiners,” a Warcole production and the other will be “P. T. 109,” to be released through Warner Bros. Although not in complete operation, the studio is currently doing a film series for United States Information Agency. Warren said that the immediate staff will consist of from 20 to 50 employes, until all departmental heads are appointed and then their roster of employes may go up to 200 if the studio starts working full force. Warren pointed out that Hollywood is losing many of its skilled technicians who have come east to be nearer the television production facilities which are more numerous in the eastern part of the U. S. than in the west. “From our present programming schedule, we expect to produce as much TV film footage as for motion picture projection,” said Warren. “Television is looking for better techniques every day and we hope to keep pace with the demand.” Warren has had considerable experience in New York, Hollywood and Miami. His first production unit started with $100,000 worth of equipment in a rented dance hall on Bay road, Miami Beach. Several years later the company purchased the equipment of several recording studios and has outgrown the space in that area. Several Franchise Holders For Parade Are Named LOS ANGELES — Parade Releasing vicepresident Robert Patrick recently returned from a nation-wide swing during which he named several franchise holders to represent PRO. Appointed were Herman Gorelick, St. Louis; Jay Goldberg, Cincinnati; Sam Schultz, Cleveland; George Waldman, New York, and Harvey Harnick, Canada. Parade has completed distribution arrangements for ten pictures for the March through June period. Frisina Circuit in Central Illinois Has Active Interest in Cable TV Venture EFFINGHAM, ILL. — The Frisina Amusement Co., circuit operator in central Illinois, has a strong hand in a cable television system under construction here, as a result of excellent public relations the theatre company has built up through the years. The target date for the inauguration of pay TV is July 1. It will be operated by Effingham TV Cable Co., of which Dominic Frisina, circuit head, is president; G. B. Giachette, Frisina executive, is secretary, and Phil Hays, manager of Frisina’s two local theatres, is general manager. The other officers in the company are Jack Crosby of Del Rio, Tex., and Ben Conroy of Uvalde, Tex., who with Wesley Petty, local investor, started the pay TV idea rolling here last August. Hays is a veteran of the original theatre television venture of the nation, the Vumore Co. of Oklahoma, a subsidiary of Video Theatres which pioneered coaxial cable television at Bartlesville, Okla., successful technically but not financially. The cable company has franchises to provide service in other Illinois towns — Flora, Salem and Mount Vernon — and is also seeking franchises at Robinson and Olney. Frisina’s entry into cable television was a matter of self -protection. “We are not waving the flag, or ringing the bell for any sort of pay TV,” Hays said. “We are going to deliver by cable more and better television than the towns now are receiving. We operate theatres in half of these cities and our business for the most part is good.” The cable company will pick up network and independent programs by microwave, then service them to local customers. The Texas group first asked for a pay TV franchise from the city council last August; Frisina and Hays got into the act in September. After months of controversy, the city council granted identical franchises to both groups, with Frisina’s long record of civic cooperation and Hays’ local friendships being an important factor in Dominic Frisina Phil Hays protecting the circuit’s interests. Finally, a few weeks ago, the two groups merged into the one Effingham Cable TV Co. The terms with the council provide that five per cent of the gross goes to the city, the maximum rate to customers shall not exceed $7 a month and that the installation maximum won’t exceed $25. Hays sought a much lower fee to the city, and said that this figure probably will have to be renegotiated. Pearlman Leaves Disney To Do Writing in Italy NEW YORK — Gilbert Pearlman has left his post as advertising manager of Buena Vista to take up residence in Italy. Pearlman, who has been with the Walt Disney subsidiary for five years under Charles Levy, advertising-publicity director, plans to be abroad indefinitely. Pearlman will headquarter in Rome where he will work on a variety of writing projects for motion pictures, television and the stage. A recently completed play has been optioned for Hollywood production. A graduate of the University of Iowa, Pearlman joined the Disney organization after leaving Look magazine where he was in an executive capacity in the circulation and promotion department. He was given a farewell luncheon by his associates at Toots Shor’s. BREAKS A HOUSE RECORD — Young and old alike jammed the Texas Theatre, San Angelo, Tex., to see Roger Corman’s “The Magic Voyage of Sinbad,” a Filmgroup release, breaking a three-year house record. This was the initial U.S. opening for the adventurefantasy production, and was followed immediately by a moveover into San Angelo’s Parkway Theatre, the town’s second first-run house. BOXOFFICE :: March 12, 1962 13