Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

OMAHA prank Larson, chairman for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital project, has sounded an urgent SOS to exhibitors in the Nebraska -southern South Dakota-western Iowa territory for their support. The 20thFox manager said he w’as unable to make contact with many of them through salesmen and was not getting the usual response from outstate exhibitors. Collections have been going well in local theatres and Frank has enlisted the aid of his sons on many occasions to aid in solicitations. Wrestling fans at the Municipal Auditorium are expected to give the fund a boost. Bill Bradley reopened his New Moon Theatre at Neligh last week and closed the Neligh Drive-In . . . Another drive-in closing was that owned by Bill Bradshaw at Winner . . . Bill Lyons, city manager for United Artists, and his wife, son and daughter spent the weekend in Lincoln . . . United Artists plans to show “Taras Bulba” over the holidays in Omaha . . . Hoot Gibson, projectionist at the Cooper Theatre, is the papa of a baby boy . . . Opal Woodson, UA office manager, was another on the long list to be bitten by the flu bug last week. Commonwealth has opened the New Page Theatre at Shenandoah, Iowa. It is the same building that housed the old State Theatre but practically everything but the walls and roof has been rebuilt or replaced. The lobby has been enlarged, new glass doors installed, the boxoffice moved to a new spot and concessions bar redone. New seats have been installed and the restrooms remodeled and re-equipped. A wallto-w'all screen has replaced the old one in a completely redecorated auditorium. The heating and air-conditioning system is all new. Don Shane, city manager for Tri-States, said the Patterson-Liston fight telecast set an alltime record here. Both the Orpheum and Omaha theatres, which televised the fight, were sold out and Shane estimated a thousand were turned away. The combined capacity of the two theatres is more than ENDLESS BURNS THE ENTIRE POSITIVE ROD Save Carbon Cost u L ftimilVTOtS W*it Coott Th*atr« S«rvie« N.W. KUINCY POtTUND, ORICON CoH— vrilfx-vir*— for 0 demontt'Otten five thousand . . . The Variety auxiliaiT held a dinner meeting at Ross’ Restaurant last week . . . Bob Hirz, Warner city salesman, attended a meeting at Dallas. Dorothy Weaver, 20th-Fox biller, has had as a guest her sister from California, Mrs. Ed Miller. Also entertaining guests was May Witthauer, Fox secretary — her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hurd of Inglewood, Calif. . . . Ray Hudson, Fox porter, is improving after a bout with pneumonia. Jack Klingel, city manager for Cooper Foundation Theatres, said a series of six old operettas will start at the Dundee Theatre starting October 10 for one -day stands: Naughty Marietta, Student Pi'ince, Maytime, Brigadoon, Firefly and Bittersweet. They also will go in the Stuart Theatre at Lincoln the same dates. Starting October 12 the State in Omaha will show fom of the Heritage series: David Copperfield, Captains Courageous, Pride and Prejudice and Little Women . . . Arthur Miller, who has the Miller Theatre at Atkinson, went to Sioux City last week to bring his wife home from the hospital. Exhibitors on the Row included Earl Kerr. Pine, Colo.; Nebraskans Prank Hollingworth, Beatrice; Mr. and Mrs. Tony Schroedl. Falls City; Mr. and Mrs. Fi'ed Schuyler, Humboldt; Harold Stnive, Hebron; Don Gibson, Springview; Clarence Frasier, Havelock; Sid Metcalf, Nebraska City, and lowans Del Sayles, Malvern; Mr. and Mrs. Russell Acton, Villisca; S. J. Backer, Harlan; A1 Haals, Harlan, and Arnold Johnson, Onawa. Plenty of Scare Fare For Milwaukee Fans MILWAUKEE— Except for “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” at the Palace, still mighty in a sixth week, local houses ranged from barely passing to very good. Three situations presented scare programs to varying results. The wanted commodity here right now is another blockbuster. (Average Is 100) Downer — Waltz of the Toreadors (Cont'l) 160 Palace — The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (MGM-Cinerama), 6th wk 250 Riverside — The Spiral Road (U-l), 2nd wk 115 Strand— West Side Story (UA), 28th wk 175 Telenews — The Tell-Tale Heart (Brigadier); The Mighty Crusaders (SR) 175 Times — The Devil's Wanton (Embassy) 100 Towne — The Phantom of the Opera (U-l) 95 Warner — Tales of Terror (AlP) 135 Wisconsin — Bird Man of Alcatraz (UA), 2nd wk. ..100 'Interns' Holds Up Well In 2nd Omaha Week OMAHA — The holdover picture at the Orpheum Theatre, “The Interns,” had a good plus-average second week as firstrun theatres again faced a barrage of other entertainment attractions in the city. Topping the field was “Windjammer,” in its fourth week at the Cooper Theatre. Admiral — The Centurion (PIP); The Huns (PIP).. 100 Cooper — Windjammer (Cinerama), 4th wk 135 Dundee — Operation Snatch (Cont'l) 95 Omaha — The Scarface Mob (Desilu) 85 Orpheum — The Interns (Col), 2nd wk 120 State — I Thonk a Fool (MGM) 105 Producer Martin H. Poll will film “Janus” with Abe Burrows directing from his own script, early next year, followed by “Twist of Sand,” both for UA release. DES MOINES ^yron Blank, president of Central States Theatre Corp., and Mrs. Blank are flying to Spain October 9 in the interests of business and art. Blank has an interest in Samuel Bronston’s “55 Days at Peking,” now in production there. Mrs. Blank is interested in the Lubetkin Gallery, recently opened in Des Moines, and the trip will afford an opportunity to investigate art objects abroad. The Blanks will return to Des Moines via Miami and the TOA convention, which opens November 4. David Waller, son of Iowa’s well-known exhibitor Cecil Waller, has taken over operation of the King Theatre at Ida Grove and the Lake at Lake View. 'The elder Waller, at present, is concentrating his efforts on Red Oak’s lowana Theatre, which he recently acquired . . . Marilyn Smith has joined the Universal staff at Des Moines as secretary, replacing Mabel Magnusson, who has retired. Co-workers gave Mabel a party and a sweater as a farewell gesture. Lloyd Hirstine’s Capitol opened the first Iowa drive-in run of “West Side Story” September 26. The Des Moines exhibitor reported that business was excellent the following weekend . . . 'The new student booker at United Artists is Peter Frederick . . . Wilma Frace, head inspector at Universal, took three days of her vacation to spend with members of her family visiting in Des Moines . . . Best wishes to Jearme Dillai'd, Neil Adair’s secretary at Central States, who was a bride September 30. MILWAUKEE ^embers of Variety Tent 14 gathered in the Mount Sinai Hospital auditorium recently for a briefing on the clinic’s progress on the Epilepsy Foundation sponsored by the local showmen’s club. Created by Tent 14 more than five years ago, over $125,000 has been contributed towards its support. A tour of the clinic, in addition to scenes from actual cases with the staff explaining the step-by-step approach in the treatment of a youngster, clearly made an impression on all members of Variety. Concluding remarks were offered by Ben Marcus, chairman of the board, and Chief Barker Bernie Strachota. A plaque was presented to the clinic director Doctor Davis. Variety hopes to raise $40,000 this year to meet the increasing needs of the clinic. “Lots of guys play the organ better,” says Bob Karnes, but according to the former theatre manager, the King Record Co., which records his records, is working overtime cutting his output. The record company claims Karnes is the nation’s leading organ player. Bob, incidentally, had his organ and aggregation at the Variety Club’s initiation ceremonies on a com-tesy basis. And, while on the subject of recordings, Robert Louis Prine, at the age of 24 and recovered from brain tumor surgery which cost him the use of his left ann, has embarked on a musical recording career. His latest project is a calliope record to be released soon. He has also recorded music from the Barton organ at Baraboo’s A1 Ringling Theatre. NC-4 BOXOFFICE :: October 8, 1962