Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

s. XHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY A B 0 U T P I C T U R E AMERICAN-INTERNATIONAL Twist All Night (AIP) — Louis Prima, June Wilkinson, Sam Butera and the Witnesses. We used this as the bottom half of a twin bill, but even the teenagers frowned on it. Kids nowadays want Chubby Checker. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Rain. — Albert Aguiar, Lincoln Theatre, Lincoln, Calif. Pop. 3,200. BUENA VISTA Big Red (BV)' — Walter Pidgeon, Gilles Payant, Emil Genest. The football season hit us again with devastating effect, so that left us holding the bag Saturday night. Sunday a lot of kids turned out to see this delightful little show, but boxoffice-wise we just did not make up for the loss. Played Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Hot. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. Bon Voyage (BV) — Fred MacMurray, Jane Wyman, Michael Callan, Deborah Walley. Played to above-average business. Not Disney’s best, but deserving your best time. Will please, and the kids’ parents w'on’t be afraid for them to attend. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Good. — Mel Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018. COLUMBIA Experiment in Terror (Col) — Glenn Ford, Lee Remick, Stefanie Powers. A good suspense picture in black and white that was Elvis, Si — Sports, No ^^e found UA’s “Kid Galahad” to be a good picture and Elvis always comes through with a good gross for us, although this picture did not do as well as ‘Tollow That Dream.” It’s hard to do big business with a sports picture: boxing, baseball, football — they just don’t do it at the boxoffice. I think this picture would have done more business with a different title and with the boxing left out. FRANK PATTERSON Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. a flop at my boxoffice. We would have saved money to have closed for this change. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — Frank Patterson, Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. Pop. 6,000. Interns, The (Col) — Michael Callan, Cliff Robertson, James MacArthur, Haya Harareet. Very good, entertaining and well made is all I can say about this picture. It should do business anywhere. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — B. W. Berglund, 'Trail Theatre, New Town, N. D. Pop. 1,200. METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The (MGMj — Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin, Charles Boyer. Small towns, do take note — this is not for you and it wasn’t tops for me either. It seems a certain class will support this kind, but not enough of that class. A lot of talk and chatter in this one, but terrific cast, and beautiful color and Disagrees on 'Lover J do not wish to get into an argument with any fellow exhibitor — yet I feel that Mr. James Hardy of the Crescent Theatre, Jasonville, Indiana, was unjust to “Lover Come Back” (U-I). It was among the top grossers at this theatre during the “slow” season (late winter) . Let’s have more like “Lover Come Back” while we’re young enough to appreciate it and while the public appreciates it. A. A. RICHARDS Marion Theatre, Marion, S. C. scope. We enjoyed it ourselves, and there is nothing wrong with the picture, just that it’s for larger, more educated (shall we say) situations. Played Sat., Sun. Weather: Nippy. — Harry Hawkinson, Orpheum Theatre, Marietta, Minn. Pop. 380. Thief of Bagdad (MGM) — Steve Reeves, Georgia Moll, Arturo Dominici. More Italian junk ! Getting so I shy away from anything with Levine’s name on it. It’s well promoted, but seldom much good. — Don Stott, Southwind Theatre, Solomons, Md. Pop. 950. Thunder of Drums, A (MGM) — Richard Boone, George Hamilton, Arthur O’Connell. This did better than expected on my Sunday-Monday change. — S. T. Jackson, Jackson Theatre, Flomaton, Ala. Pop. 1,480. PARAMOUNT Hell Is for Heroes (Para) — Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin, Bob Newhart. A terrific war picture of World War II which pleased all the men, but the women stayed away. A few GI’s wives came and walked out before the feature was over. So business was 50 per cent. Played Sat., Sun., Mon. Weather: Nice. — Carl P. Anderka, Rainbow Theatre, Castroville, Tex. Pop. 1,500. Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The (Para) — John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles. A swell picture with everything to make good entertainment. Very good story, good supporting cast. John Wayne and James Stewart were excellent. Business good. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Good. — Mel Danner, Circle Theatre, Waynoka, Okla. Pop. 2,018. 20th CENTURY-FOX Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (20th-Fox) — Richard Beymer, Diane Baker, Susan Strasberg, Paul Newman. Hemingway at his best. An outstanding cast in an excellent picture, but it failed to click here. Worst grossing picture we have run for a long, long time. This picture should have done well in Barrington, but didn’t. Those who have read Hemingway should enjoy seeing his short stories brought to life on the screen in color and Cinemascope (why not stereo sound also?). Beautiful Michigan scenery and some exciting war action typical of Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms.” Paul Newman was a standout, as usual. Played Sun. through Wed. Weather: Cool. — Donald E. Bohatka, Catlow Theatre, Barrington, 111. Pop. 5,400. State Fair (20th-Fox) — Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Tom Ewell, Ann-Margret, Alice Faye. Indeed a fine family motion picture that you can be proud to play. The cast is tops, color and scope are beautiful. A lot of nice music, all with a background of a state fair. Business was well up for this one. A lot of family trade and teenagers. Play it if you can, it’s great. Played Fri., Sat., Sun. Weather: Nice. — Harry Hawkinson, Orpheum Theatre, Marietta, Minn. Pop. 380. UNITED ARTISTS Road to Hong Kong, The (UA) — Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Joan Collins. This one gave me my lowest Sunday gross in a long, long time. This is too silly to be very funny. Evidently my patrons could smell it, for they stayed away. Might fit the lower half of a double bill. Played Sun. Weather: Good. — I. Roche, Starlight Drive-In, Chipley, Fla. Pop. 3,100. UNIVERSAL-INTERNATIONAL Last Sunset, The (U-I) — Rock Hudson, Kirk Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten. Here is one of the best westerns I have played in a long time. It is in color and drew out a lot of my western fans. Played Thurs., Fri., Sat. Weather: Good. — B. W. Berglund, Trail Theatre, New Town, N. D. Pop. 1,200. That Touch of Mink (U-I) — Cary Grant, Doris Day, Gig Young. A swell comedy that was enjoyed by all who came to see it, but business was below average as we lost our colored crowd on this one. Colored patrons do not go for this type of picture down here and when your town is 50 per cent colored, you are really hurt on a playdate. Played Sim., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — Frank Patterson, Mansfield Theatre, Mansfield, La. Pop. 6,000. Tammy Tell Me True (U-I) — Sandra Dee, John Gavin, Charles Drake. Here is another good Tammy picture. It is just as good as the other. Hope they can be continued. They are nice clean family pictures. Played Sun., Mon., Tues. Weather: Good. — B. W. Berglund, Trail Theatre, New Town, N. D. Pop. 1,200. WARNER BROS. High and the Mighty, The (WB) — John Wayne, Robert Stack, Jan Sterling. This is another fugitive from 'TV that did okay for us. The print was kind of rough, but still managed to keep it on the screen most of the time. — Don Stott, Southwind Theatre, Solomons, Md. Pop. 950. Huzza for Delmer Daves ^elmer Daves is a producer who cares little for critics and intellectuals. He goes right along making entertainment for the masses (Parrish, Drum Beat, Susan Slade, A Summer Place). For all of these, I congratulate him. His films are beautiful to look at and are never depressing. His latest WB release, “Rome Adventure,” is just fine and did good average business here. Donahue is very popular and this little chick Pleshette is going places after this. I personally nominate Charles Lawton’s photography for the Academy Award. PAUL FOURNIER Acadia Theatre, St. Leonard, N. B. ;nti 4 — 19G — BOXOFFICE Showmondiser : Dec. 3, 1962