Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

Jim Nicholson, AIP, Joins Omaha's Business Jubilee Celebration Meyer Stern, dean of the movie industry in the Omaha territory and one of American International Pictures’ earliest distributors, entertained James Nicholson, former Omahan and co-founder of AIP, at a cocktail dinner in connection with Omaha’s Golden Jubilee of Retailing. From left at the head table: Mrs. Stern, Mrs. Nicholson, Nicholson, Stern, honor guest Peter Lorre, Mrs. James Dworak (wife of the Omaha mayor who made Lorre an honorary citizen of the city) , Ralph Blank, circuit operator, and Mrs. Blank. In the foreground around the table are (left to right) Don and Justin Stern, sons of Meyer Stern, Mr. and Mrs. Danico, Davenport, Iowa, exhibitors (back to camera), and Frank Rubel, Central States circuit, Des Moines. Newspaper Censorship Brings Maco Ad Move MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Amusement Co. ad director Ev Seibel announced this week that the circuit is switching a larger portion of its theatre advertising to radio and television due to increasingly “arbitrary and unreasonable” censorship of motion picture advertising in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune newspapers. The change in media has been accomplished with no drop in theatre attendance, and in some instances comparison with St. Paul houses utilizing full newspaper coverage has disclosed increased patronage. Censorship of Maco’s campaign for UA’s “Toys in the Attic” by the Cowles-owned dailies was the last sti’aw, accoi'ding to Seibel, and all advertising on the flick, which gi’ossed above expectations in its first week at the State Theatre, was shifted to radio and TV. The two Mill City papei’s have a history of blue-pencilling movie advertising reaching back several years, but Seibel believes the policy has become unreasonably rigorous in recent months. Lido Theatre Relighting Delights Arlington Folks ARLINGTON, MINN. — Reopening of the local Lido Theatre, after many townspeople had resigned themselves to living in a theatreless community, was widely welcomed by youngsters and their parents aUke. The editor of the Arlington Enterprise contributed his enthusiasm to the occasion in this editorial: After a shutdown of nearly five months, the announcement of the reopening of the Lido Theatre here caused more than a mild stir with everybody (especially the youngsters) eager to have our hometown theatre back in operation again. There’s something about going to a show that the TV sets will never replace — the big screen with its brilliant color, the smell of popcorn that seems to taste just a litt’e better than at home. Movies are not dead and the little TV set just isn’t a suitable replacement. We are foi'tunate to have citizens in our city with the courage and faith in the public to venture into this sizeable investment. When most theatres close in smaller cities and towns, it is usually for keeps and the buildings are converted for other purposes. We ai’e fortunate to have a second chance to keep our theatre. So first chance you get load mom and the kids in the car and head for an enjoyable evening at the movies. Responsible for giving Arlington a second chance to keep its theatre are Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Soeffker sr., local residents, who purchased the building and business from Melvin Ehlers. Mrs. Soeffker is in chai'ge of actual opex-ation of the theati’e. Leases Hillsboro Trail HILLSBORO, N.D.— Claude Porterville, Finley exhibitor, has leased the local Ti-ail Theatre from Orville Overmoe and immediately began preparing it for reopening. Porterville, owner of the Finley Theatre, said that he will book programs for the Trail for each evening except Monday and Tuesday. OMAHA — Movies and movie personalities played a major role as Omaha completed the first week of its Golden Jubilee of Retailing celebration. Among the film industry’s contributions to the jubilee, termed by chairman Morris Miller as “the biggest celebration this area has seen in more than 50 years,” were: The return of an Omahan, James Nicholson, president and co-founder of American International Pictures, as a guest of the jubilee and one of the feature attractions. The attendance of Peter Lorre, who gave hours of his time in personal appearances and intei-views, making it possible for thousands of Omahans to see and hear him. The premiere of “X — the Man With the X-Ray Eyes” at the Admiral, Chief and Skyview theatres. The assistance of innumerable persons in the movie industry in the Omaha trade area which added glamor, zing and showmanship know-how, and contributed gi-eatly to the success of the two-week program. Meyer Stem, AIP distributor for this area, gave a party for film industry personnel which was attended by a number of exhibitors from this territory. Mrs. James Dworak, acting on behalf of Mayor Dworak, who was absent from the city, made Lorre an honorai’y citizen of Omaha. Special guests at the Stern dinner were four of the Navy’s Blue Angels: Lt. Comdr. Ken Wallace; Marine Capt. John Kretsinger and lieutenants George Neal and Robert Cowles. The Blue Angels put on their jet precision flying demonstration at Eppley Air Field. Stei-n, dean of the movie business in this section of the Midlands, paid tribute to American International’s Nicholson, a former Omaha theatre manager who came back to his hometown after an absence of 20 years. With him was his wife, former Omahan Sylvia Svoboda. “In 1954 Nicholson came into the production field when others were going out. He came in because he had confidence in the industry,” Stern said. “I have seen big ones come and big ones go, but never have I seen any make a mark in our business like his company. One of the reasons is that Jim was willing to listen. He has done to the industry what we’d like the industry to do unto us.” Nicholson reflected how far he and the fi’m industi’y have come since he entered the business in the late 1930s. “Back in 1954 when we stai'ted the company,” he said, “people used to brag about how long it had been since they had seen a film in a theatre. The motion picture business was in a bad way, several film companies folded up and television seemed to have taken over. “Today things have changed considerably for the better. In fact, it seems if you haven’t seen ‘Cleopatra’ or some other big pictui-e, well, you’re just not ‘in.’ ” He said his company managed to occupy a void in the industry occupied when Republic and RKO Pictures went out of business. American International stai’ted with a fi’m it didn’t own completely and built up a sales force to promote it. “I believe there’s a new espi’it de corps in the motion picture business,” he declared, “and one of the reasons for this is the vital work of Darryl Zanuck (also a former Nebraskan) . “It seemed foolhai’dy,” he mused, “to enter the production end when we did but somehow we had luck and timing and we kind of took over where Republic and RKO left off. There still were enough theatres open to keep the business going. “Today we make and distribute our pictures throughout the world, though we (Continued on next page) BOXOFFICE :: October 21, 1963 NC-1