Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

OMAHA prank Larson, 20th-Fox manager and general chairman of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital campaign in this territory, reported that there still are some returns coming in from exhibitors and made an urgent appeal for those who haven’t yet pitched in to do so. The latest is from Harry Taylor of the Ritz Theatre in North Omaha. to Fort Collins, Colo., to visit their son-inlaw and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Prank Rash jr. Frank formerly had the Colonial Theatre at Hamburg, Iowa, which his brother John now operates. Frank is now with the Dent circuit and manages a theatre at Port Collins. Ernie Van Wey, exhibitor at Gothenburg and Grand Master of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Nebraska, has a full schedule of appointments through the state for the next couple of weeks. Bill Doebel, Fox booker, went to great pains to draw up a football parlay for himself, then whipped out one for his wife. His wife’s came through, his didn’t . . . Shirley Pitts, United Artists secretaiT, returned from a Texas vacation to beautiful Nebraska autumn weather but she stUl sang praises to the Lone Star State. She visited relatives, traveled to Dallas, San Antonio, Laredo and Mexico. Orville Muntz and his wife, who have the Paramount Theatre at Rock Port, Mo., went awaih \jou when VfOU pl( ^cF^en Cottle* WAHOO is the ideal boxoffice attraction to increase business on your “off-nights". Write today for complete details. Be sure to give seating or car capacity. HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO. ^ 3750 Oakfon St. ♦ Skokie, Illinois ■ ■ ■ WATCH PROJECTION IMPROVE T with K lECHNIKOTE S PRODUCTS Now! — The Only ANTI-STATIC SCREEN XR-171 P*ori • R«p«ls Oust c Available from your authorized Theatre Equipment Supply Dealer: Export— Westrex Corp. ITECHNIKOTE CORP. 63 Seobring St., B'kiyn 31, 5 ENDLESS BURNS THE ENTIRE POSITIVE ROD Save Carbon Cost REVOLUTIONARY PROJECTOR ^ CARIONS Richard Max, who has the Max Theatre at Sibley, Iowa, had to make extensive repairs on the front of the building. A wild steer broke loose in town and ran through the entrance . . . Jack and Edith Renfro of Theatre Booking Service went to Chanute, Kas., over the Thanksgiving holidays to their relatives, the Ralph Morgans. Edith reported she is making steady progress since she underwent an eye operation. Tent 16 Christmas Party To Be Held December 17 OMAHA — Don Shane, recently re-elected chief barker of Variety Tent 16, announced that the Christmas party will be December 17 at the Sheraton-Fontanelle Hotel ballroom. The Variety Club is offering a five-day trip to the Hotel Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. “We’re particularly anxious to have exhibitors and their friends in the territory attend,’’ Shane said. “The ball is one of the highlights of the holiday party program.’’ DES MOINES ■phe value of word-of-mouth advertising, especially on difficult-to-ballyhoo films, was noted here in the case of “Gigot.” The engagement at the Ingersoll 'Theatre got off to a rather slow start and a cold-shoulder review in the local press did not help. ’Then the public took over and, contradictory to the usual pattern, business the second week exceeded the first week by about 25 per cent. “Gigot” went into its third week November 23, continuing to pick up attendance as of the 24th, according to Jerry Jones, Ingersoll manager. In fact, Jerry caught a heck of a cold — the result of being in crowds, maybe. After word got around on “The Manchurian Candidate,” it, too, did a better business the third week than the first, reports Peter Frederick, manager at the Capri. As part of a nationwide move, 20th Century-Fox shipping and inspection no longer are handled at the local branch office. The facilities have been moved to the Iowa Film Depot, along with Bob Boots, head shipper, and Rose Flora, inspector, who now are employed at the Film Depot. The changeover was effective December 1. Joe Young, Warners exchange manager, knows what happened to “Baby Jane.” It is doing outstanding business in all key situations! . . . Warner workers have chosen December 7 for their Christmas party at the Vets Club In West Des Moines. MILWAUKEE £|steUe Steinbach, manager of the Strand Theatre and recipient of scads of awards, citations and prizes for promotional effort, again is in the public eye. Miss Steinbach is one of 12 community professional leaders selected to tour four key United States missile testing and firing centers. She will make the trip at the invitation of the Milwaukee Air Defense Command, according to Col. Edward L. Smith, commanding officer. He said this is the first time in the five-year history of the defense command’s national “Operation Understanding,” that 12 Wisconsin women have been invited to make the educational and informational tour, which includes visits to the Army Air Defense School at Fort Bliss, Tex.; to McGregor range in New Mexico, where they will observe the annual firing by units from throughout the United States; thence to the White Sands missile range in New Mexico. Quite an honor for Miss Steinbach. Louis W. Orlove, for more than 20 years a publicist with MGM and late of 20th Century-Fox, says, “Put me on your available list.” Louie, along with a few others, has been released in Fox’s current retrenchment program and needs no introduction to anyone in the motion picture industry, for he has plugged pictures all over the midwest, and “knows everybody.” For those who were more or less confused with that item in the previous issue: it is the 'TrEunpe boys (Ray and Ollie) who operate Film Service and were asked to serve again this year as chairmen of Variety Club’s Christmas party. ’They agreed to it as usual. Also, it was Ivor McLaren, prominent in radio, stage, screen and TV, who died in London, England. He was an actor, composer, writer, race driver and Royal Air Force flyer before coming to Milwaukee to join WTMJ-’TV. Sorry about the line left out causing the misunderstanding. That talent hunt to find a new “Gidget” to play the title role in Jerry Bresler’s forthcoming “Gidget Goes to Rome,” for Columbia Pictures, has stirred up a rumor in this area that the new Gidget will hail from Milwaukee (they hope). TIME TO ORDER yoOnj ADVERTISING FROM TOP VITEVE DOUBLED OUR PLANT SIZE ADDED NEW EQUIPMENT AND DEPARTMENTS KIDDIE MATINEE HERALDS HOLIDAY HERALDS FOR ‘ CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS rn 1 • MOVIE ^ CALENDARS I % • WINDOW j. CARDS “ ' • BUMPER { STRIPS MORE COMPLETE 9 SERVfCE\ iHi U BOX 636 OMAHA NEBR. ■ ™ Ar«« 403 Ph. 4S3-6160 lOCATio *v «ne coauRitciAt *vi. NC-4 BOXOFFICE December 3, 1962