Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1963)

s. X HI BIT OR HAS HIS SAY "ii^"ABOUT PICTURESBBH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL Samson and the 7 Miracles of the World ALP' — Gordon Scott, Yoko Tani, Helene Chanel. This picture did nothing but business in my small town. I’m for American International Pictures all the way. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot and dry. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. BUENA VISTA Bon Voyage (BV) — Fred MacMurray, Jane Wyman, Michael Callan. Picture was a little above average but business was way below the kind of film rental asked for on this picture. However, Buena Vista adjusted to a reasonable figure. Played Sun. through Wed. Weather: Good. — Frank Patterson, Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. Pop. 6,000. COLUMBIA Diamond Head (Col) — Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, George Chakiris, France Nuyen. Very good picture in color. Should do average or better business. Has some nice scenery and good photography. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — Mel Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018. War Lover, The (Col) — Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Anne Field. This got by just so-so. Well liked by the men. Played Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot. Monday, thundershowers. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Billy Rose’s Jumbo (MGM) — Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye. Cut out one hour of singing, one hour of nothing and you will have a nice five-minute short subject. Played Fri., Sat. Weather: Fine, thank you. — James Cech, Elsie Theatre, Elsie, Mich. Pop. 1,000. Courtship of Eddie’s Father, The (MGM) Glenn Ford, Shirley Jones, Dina Merrill. Good family entertainment again and, naturally, it did business and Mr. Ford did a fine job with the script to get the most out of every laugh. My people like this kind of film and especially Glenn Ford. The pretty girls in the cast added handsomely to the situations which the small motherless boy managed to aggravate into laugh situations most of the time. Play it. Your family trade will go away happy and you Good Boxoiiice Gained With 'Spartacus Universal’s “Spartacus” is a very good picture and my boxoffice was likewise. Of course, I did a little extra promotion in the form of special showings to schools and the use of discount tickets. Universal’s terms were pretty fair, so we made a few bucks, playing it on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. A. MADRIL La Plaza Theatre, Antonito, Colo. Presley Is Top Star At Flomaton, Ala. This very good picture, “It Happened at the World’s Fair,” did very good business. Presley looked a little different for some reason. Camera work must have been somewhat different from his other pictures. I don’t think it flattered him either. When you use it, notice and see if you can’t tell something changed from his last picture. However, received no complaints. But did receive several comments on how good this feature was. Thanks, Metro, for an early date. I hope the film companies continue to make big productions out of the Presleys. He is my top star and there is nothing else that comes close to him. And, too, I hope he stays away from TV! Played this five days. S. T. JACKSON Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. will like the results at the boxoffice. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Hot. — Oral Ledbetter, Howard Theatre, Monon, Ind. Follow the Boys (MGM) — Connie Francis, Russ Tamblyn, Paula Prentiss, Ron Randell. Fair, not one of Metro’s best. Played Sun., Mon. — S. T. Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Pop. 1,480. PARAMOUNT Girls! Girls! Girls! (Para) — Elvis Presley, Stella Stevens, Jeremy Slate. Elvis must rate about number three in our area, behind only John Wayne and Doris Day. Elvis pictures always are entertaining with music, pretty girls, color and just good entertainment. Anyone should do okay on this, though it’s not nearly as good as “Blue Hawaii.” We need more of Elvis. — Bill Curran, Ramona Theatre, Kremmling, Colo. Pop. 900. My Six Loves (Para) — Debbie Reynolds, Cliff Robertson, Eileen Heckart. A fine family-type picture that is a crowd pleaser after the first ten or fifteen minutes. Here is another case of bad titles, as it sounds more like an adult sex picture than what it really is. Word of mouth was a big help on this picture and we wish they would make more like this one. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Cool. — Frank Patterson, Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. Pop. 6,000. 20th CENTURY-FOX 30 Years of Fun (20th-Fox) — Played this one single with two shorts to very good turnouts. Some of the elder patrons were still laughing the next day and told us so. They all enjoyed it immensely. So-called corny comedy is always a hit and we hope film companies come out with situation comedies like Ma and Pa Kettle, Abbott and Costello, etc. We still hear some say they would like to see “Buck Privates” and “Hit the Ice” again, as well as some of the fine old westerns in color. — Leonard J. Leise, Roxy Theatre, Randolph, Neb. Pop. 1,029. UNITED ARTISTS Doctor Blood’s Coffin (UA) — Kieron Moore, Hazel Court, Ian Hunter. This had a lot of movement and action, but not enough of the horror bit. Furthermore, it featured the most completely miscast players in years (not that Kieron Moore and Miss Court aren’t good players). The distributor in the area decided to release the film in a black and white print instead of the original color (it must have looked better) and Miss Court’s makeup was so noticeable that at times she looked as if she were about 90 years old. This was sheer nonsense on the part of the distributor. No business. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Warm. — Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N.B. Pop. 2,150. Miracle Worker, The (UA) — Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Jory. The play on the U. S. Steel Horn on TV hurt. People mentioned they saw “Miracle Worker” on the Steel Hour and that was that. They stayed home. Then they talk about movies on TV first, then into theatres. We call it stay home, then no theatres. Show was excellent. Business poor. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Fair. — Ken Christianson, Roxy Theatre, Washburn, N. D. Pop. 968. Two for the Seesaw (UA) — Robert Mitchum, Shirley MacLaine, Edmon Ryan. An absolute waste of film, at least for small towns. So, beware! Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Mild and damp. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. UNIVERSAL 40 Pounds of Trouble (Univ) — Tony Curtis, Suzanne Pleshette, Phil Silvers. What a nice bunch of trouble must have been the “kid” that brought out a little extra business. Very pretty color and a nice trip through Disneyland. Played Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot and dry. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. To Kill a Mockingbird (Univ) — Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford. This picture was one of my best grossers for this year, so don’t pass it up. Give it some special advertising. Universal has been putting out the kind of pictures that the public wants to see. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — Mel Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018. WARNER BROS. Critic’s Choice (WB) — Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Maxwell, Rip Torn. If you’re a critic and have a choice, leave it alone. Worst Sunday and Monday I had all summer. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Good. — Benny Levitan, Capitol Theatre, Homerville, Ga. Pop. 2,000. Gypsy (WB) — Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, Karl Malden. A big disappointment as it should have had less singing and more of Natalie Wood in good looking clothes like the last reel or two. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot. — Terry Axley, New Theatre, England, Ark. Pop. 2,136. MISCELLANEOUS Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy (Cont’l) — Absolutely divine and hilarious. Harold Lloyd was funnier 10 times more than Jerry Lewis and no trick photography was used for his hair-raising escapades. Play it. Played Thur., Fri., Sat. Weather: Hot. — Paul Fournier, Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N.B. Pop. 2,150. 4 — 148 — BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Sept. 16, 1963