Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

James H. Nicholson Honored in Omaha OMAHA — James H. Nicholson, president of American International Pictures, was honored by the Omaha Businessmen's Ass’n at its 50th anniversary celebration. Tuesday (1> as the city’s top “hometown boy who made good.” Nicholson was accompanied here by Mrs. Nicholson and Peter Lorre, A3P star. Mrs. Nicholson also is a native of Omaha, where she met her husband while working as an usherette in a theatre he operated in the city. QJVjA_HA Qrville Muntz, who has the Paramount Theatre at Rock Port, Mo., and his wife have just returned from a visit with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Rash jr., at Pueblo. Franklin went to Grand Junction a year ago to manage the theatre there in the Westland circuit headed by Larry Starsmore of Colorado Springs and now is running the New Chief at Pueblo. Muntz returned to bump into promotion woes for “Little Boy Blue.” A monkey and its trainer were supposed to make appearances in this area but they were involved in an auto wreck in Texas and couldn’t get here in time. ( MODERN! THEATRE mm mm WRfffRfwa SECTION Looking for the RIGHT SCREEN —212s. RIGHT PRICE? THE WORLDS FINEST THEATRES RELY ON HURLEY SCREENS f SUPEROPTICA Lenticulated pearl surface SUPERGLO Nonlenticulated pearl surface MATTE WHITE Gef quality projection, reol economy See your independent theatre supply deoler Or write HURLEY SCREEN COMPANY, INC 96-17 Nerthtr* Bh.d Corona. N Y. 11368 Pat Halloran announced that plans are in the making for the annual awards dinner that winds up the year for the Variety Golf League . . . Opal Woodson Raser, former United Artists office manager, is now enrolled fulltime at the University of Omaha. She plans to expand her work in assisting handicapped children. The Rasers also are looking for a house. Her husband Clark has an electric organ and they don’t have room for it in an apartment. Most drive-ins in the territory have gone to weekend operations and several of the smaller situations have been closed, although the weather remains generally excellent . . . Exhibitors on the Row included Nebraskans Frank Hollingsworth, Beatrice; Art Sunde, Papillion; Phil Lannon, West Point; Sid Metcalf, Nebraska City, and Iowans Vern Brown, Missouri Valley, and Arnold Johnson, Onawa. 'West' Nearly Double Average in Omaha OMAHA — The 19th and final week of “Lawrence of Arabia” at the Cooper Theatre scored an even 100 per cent to round out a highly successful stay at the Cooper Foundation theatre here. Other theatres reported average or slight-under figures for the week, although the Indian Hills nearly doubled average as “How the West Was Won” completed its 17th week there. (Average Is 100) Admiral — The Haunted Palace (AIP) 110 Cooper — Lawrence of Arabia (Col), 19th wk 100 Indian Hills — How the West Was Won (MGM Cinerama), 17th wk 195 Omaha — The Condemned of Altona (20th-Fox) . . . . 1 00 Orpheum — For Love or Money (Univ), 2nd wk 95 State — The Clown (MGM); The Yellow Cab Man (MGM), reissues 90 DES MOINES ^^eather or not dept: As of October 1, some drive-ins here and there were shuttering for the shiver season, some others were going to a weekend-only schedule, but many were open for business as usual. Unseasonably warm days, which turn into near-frost, chilly autumn nights help nature’s outdoor “spectacle of leaves.” The same conditions pose a question for the outdoor theatreman . . . All Des Moines airers still were on a seven-night schedule . . . But “yule” never guess who visited Central States drive-in at Fremont, Neb., wearing a bright red suit, white beard and a pack on his back. Manager Ken Shipley booked “Santa” for a September Christmas night — with gifts for the kids, and a “Hoho-ho” to boot. Jean Post, well-known former Universal booker here, was in for a visit with old Filmrow friends. Post left the film business for the Marines during war days, and for a number of years was with the U.S. State Department. He now is retired, lives in Alexandria, Va., and plans a leisurely career of hunting . . . Bert Thomas, B&I booking agency, has been commuting between the office and Iowa Methodist Hospital. It is hoped by this time Bert’s engagement at the hospital has ended, and that he’s back for a long run of good health. Sebastian Cabot was in Des Moines on a promotion round in connection with United Artists’ “Twice Told Tales.” In addition to a number of radio and TV appearances here and in Ames, the actor spent some time at the Drake University drama department where he talked with aspiring young thespians . . . Ralph Olson, Universal manager, attended a week-long sales meeting in New York City . . . Dubuque’s Grand Theatre has undergone its fifth and most dramatic facelifting in the former Opera House’s 73-year history. The familiar old landmark has lost its stonework gingerbread to take on a spanking-new, sleek look of a new era. Together Again for MGM From Western Edition HOLLYWOOD — Anatole DeGrunwald and Terence Rattigan who were the producer and writer of “The V.I.P.s” for MGM, will reteam for the studio on “The Yellow Rolls Royce.” 'The Terror/ 'Dementia 13' 150 As Milwaukee Combo MILWAUKEE — As the weeks roll along, “Cleopatra” and “How the West Was Won” naturally are levelling off. Yet both roadshows wound up with 175 per cent for the week, the 12th for “Cleopatra” and the 24th for “How the West Was Won.” Next best was the 150 per cent for the first week of “The Terror” and “Dementia 13” combo and the second week of “Toys in the Attic.” Downer — Room at the Top (Cont'l); Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Cont'l), reruns ....125 Palace — How the West Was Won (MGM Cinerama), 24th wk 175 Riverside — Don't Give Up the Ship (Para); Rock-a Bye Baby (Para), reissues 115 Strand — Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 12th wk 175 Times — Some Kind of a Nut (SR); Wild Strawberries (SR) 125 Tower, Oriental — Toys in the Attic (UA), 2nd wk. . .150 Towne — Hootenanny Hoot (MGM); The Main Attraction (MGM) 90 Warner — The Terror (AIP); Dementia 13 (AIP) ..150 Wisconsin — Women of the World (Embassy), 2nd wk 150 'The V.I.P.s' Standout New Entry in Minneapolis MINNEAPOLIS — Other than an auspicious debut for “The V.I.P.s,” which opened to the tune of a 170 week at the State, there is little to report from the Mill City other than that business was slow and slower, and exhibitors found the 100 per cent mark of normality an elusive one. “Cleopatra,” “How the West Was Won” and a sleeper, “Johnny Cool,” also kept the cash registers from forming cobwebs at local houses. Academy — This Sporting Life (Cont'l) 90 Century — Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 14th wk 200 Cooper — How the West Was Won (MGM Cinerama), 29th wk 190 Gopher — Johnny Cool (UA), 2nd wk 125 Lyric — Shock Corridor (AA) 75 Mann — The Great Escape (UA), 8th wk 90 St. Louis Park — The Thrill of It All (Univ), 10th wk 90 State— The V.I.P.s (MGM) 170 Surburban World — Bluebeard (Embassy) 80 World — Ima La Douce (UA), 12th wk 100 Take A Tip From Santa Merchants' Holiday Greeting Manual , Ready Now Start Selling Merchant Holiday Greeting Trailers Early START SELLING TODAY, YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID For Speed And Quality Order From Dependable 1327 S. WABASH UUtnaoh CHICAGO 5. ILL. SOMETHING NEW FROM FILMACK Merchants Christmas Trailers Photographed On Beautiful Holiday Greeting Cards NC-4 BOXOFFICE :: October 7, 1963