Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

HORROR IN THEIR HEARTS — You’d never guess the “smiling five” pictured above actually had horror in their hearts when a photographer “shot” them at the United Artists offices in Des Moines. The “happy occasion” was Sebastian Cabot’s (center) two-day visit promoting UA’s celluloid terror film, “Twice Told Tales.” With Cabot are (seated, left). Art Stein, Central States Theatre Corp., and (standing), John Dugan, UA manager; Charles Legg, Chief Drive-In, Estherville, and Dick Davis, Pioneer Drive-In, Des Moines. Davis and Carl McFarling, RKO Orpheum manager, greeted Cabot at the airport. DES MOINES Recording to reliable sources, the QuadCities area is being considered by the Cooper Foundation as the site of a Cinerama theatre. Cooper officials have been looking over the Davenport-Rock Island region in recent weeks and reportedly see it as a "very good area for Cinerama.” At present, there is no Cinerama house between Omaha and Chicago, and Minneapolis and St. Louis . . . Universal Manager R. G. Olson, who returned from his firm’s big New York sales session “gung-ho” on upcoming film product, reports a pleasant meeting with stars Cary Grant and Tony Randall. Ole and wife Betty, the latter a Paramount staffer, planned a week’s vacation with visits to Cedar Rapids and Davenport . . . Residents of Laurens have been exploring the possibility of reopening the Laurens Theatre as a community venture. Special “Cleo” promotion was geared to Iowa’s school teachers, in session at Des Moines October 17-19. The Ingersoll Theatre shifted its midweek matinee from Wednesday to Thursday to accommodate the schoolmarms. In addition, letters went out to school superintendents, handbills were handed the teachers upon arrival at Des Moines hotels, and signs were posted at the Vets Auditorium, scene of the state convention. With the only Iowa showing 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 DIO for Speed And Quality Order from Dependable 1327 S. WABASH 3Unutck CHICAGO 5, ILL. SOMETHING NEW FROM FILMACK Merchants Christmas Trailers Photographed On Beautiful Holiday Greeting Cards of “Cleo” on the Ingersoll screen here, and with teachers coming from all schoolrooms in the state, the theatre management left no stone unturned. On October 21, 22, the Varsity Theatre here will replay “A Raisin in the Sun,” with two showings each evening. The Congress for Racial Equality (CORE) is sponsoring the thought-provoking movie, with tickets $2 each . . . Senor Leon Doherty played the role of host and “interpreter” for Pancho, “Little Boy Blue’s” monkey friend during the stay here of Pancho and his Spanish -speaking manager, Oreste Canestrelli. Doherty, manager of the Paramount Theatre, may have split a few Spanish infinitives, but Leon got along “amigo” with the Chimp. “Thanks,” said the thieves who broke into the Bel-Air Drive-In’s concessions building at Davenport where they took 16 cartons of candy and eight cartons of smokes. In a note left for the management, the culprits added: “But next time leave everything unlocked” . . . Along Filmrow, the “flu bug” felled Joyce Brain at Paramount and Lois Lohr at Warners . . . Back on the job and feeling better after being in traction for an ailing disc was Sam Rich at Paramount. Gladys Dunahoo of UA also was off the sick list and reporting for duty. Visitors on the Row included Don Smith of the Pioneer circuit, which now headquarters at Carroll, and Bill Arts, Carroll manager; Glen Lambert, Monticello, and Burton Hood of Villisca and Massena . . . Bernie McCarthy of Parade was in from St. Louis . . . Fred Meyer of the Humota Theatre at Humboldt and Bob Davis from Emmetsburg were in on business with Iowa United . . . “That Little Old Lady From Dubuque, long the symbol of provincialism, is dead. She succumbed to mass communications.” These words were spoken here by Joel Chaseman, producer of Steve Allen’s TV show. Chaseman stressed that a midwest farm audience — has the same tastes and hunger for quality as the suburbanites of New York or LA. Wonder, would many (if any) midwest exhibitors agree? Jim Nicholson Joins Omaha Celebration (Continued from preceding page) contract out our distribution of films abroad. The situation has changed tremendous’y of course since the old days. First of all, there was the enormous impact of the drive-ins. “Then you had the release of a new picture not just in a single first-run house downtown but also in many theatres around a town at the same time. “But the biggest thing in theatres today, I think, can be found in the new houses being built into shopping centers, part cularly on the east coast. It seems as if the people want the stores to follow them into their new neighborhoods — and they want the theatres to do this, too. Shopp:ng center theatres have become eminently successful and do a large afternoon business, something the older and established theatres have had trouble doing in the past few years. I think we’ll see more theatres in the shopping centers in the years to come.” Among those at the Stem cocktail-dinner were Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Blank, owners of the Admiral, Chief and Skyview Theatres in Omaha. Mr. Blank said he is the only exhibitor in the world to play all of AIP product. OJW_A_H_A 0 E. Bradshaw, who has the Hip Theatre at Gregory, S.D., has been doing a lot of remodeling and figured he was about at the reopening point but had to delay it because his new carpeting had not arrived. He has a new snack bar and other improvements. Bradshaw has closed his drive-in. Don Gibson has reopened his Niobrara Theatre at Springview on a one-change-aweek basis . . . Ronnie Connell is closing his drive-in at Bassett and will reopen his conventional Rock Theatre the first of the month . . . The weather has been great for everybody but the theatreman, judging from the comments coming in from throughout the territory. The balmy October weather has not been conducive to inside entertainment and the drive-ins are on the iffy line in parts of the area. Bill Bradley, the enterprising young exhibitor at Neligh, and his poodle dog were awaiting a blessed event last week. The mother-to-be, bred to a champion, is expecting her litter by the first of November . . . Pat Halloran, Buena Vista representative in this region, flew to California last week to participate in a meeting at the Disney studios . . . Don Hood, exhibitor at Ainsworth, has been caught up in the fall harvesting operations and helped a neighbor put up silage. The American Legion is considering reopening the theatre at Bonesteel, S.D. . . . Allan Laird, who has the White River Theatre, was among the hunters participating in the opening of the grouse season. The scattergun enthusiasts report that grouse are plentiful and indications are there will be more pheasants than usual in many parts of Nebraska and South Dakota. Peter Frederick is the new manager of NC-2 BOXOFFICE :: October 21, 1963