Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

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2 Milwaukee Houses Off to Good Start MILWAUKEE — With both new theatres, the Mayfair and Point, now open for a week, both doing well, they don’t seem to have made much of a dent on the proceeds of other theatres in the area. However, Prudential houses appear to be the leading theatres in the city picture, boxoffice wise. (Average Is 100) Downer — This Sporting Life (Cont'l) 100 Palace — How the West Was Won (MGM Cinerama), 27th wk 175 Riverside— The V.I.P.s (MG M), 3rd wk 100 Strand — Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 15th wk 175 Times — In the French Style (Col), 2nd wk 100 Tower, Oriental — Lilies of the Field (UA), 2nd wk. . .150 Warner — Rampage (WB) 125 Wisconsin, Mayfair — The Caretakers (UA) 150 Minneapolis Exhibitors Enjoy Best Week of the Fall MINNEAPOLIS — The most successful theatre week in over a month in the Mill City found “How the West Was Won” in first place once again with a 160 return and only three houses failing to reach 100 per cent or more. “Promises! Promises!” in its second go round and the debuting "Lord of the Flies” brought home the bacon to the tune of 150 per cent each, while "The V.I.P.s” concluded its first profitable month with a comfortable 120 count. “A New Kind of Love” continued solid at 110, and it looks like the fall season has finally started to take to its wings. Academy — Sword of Lancelot (Univ) 80 Campus — Hand in the Trap (SR) 80 Century — Cleopatra (20th-Fox), 17th wk 100 Cooper — How the West Was Won (MGM Cinerama), 32nd wk 160 Gopher — Promises! Promises! (SR), 2nd wk 150 Lyric — A New Kind of Love (Para), 2nd wk 110 Mann — Wives and Lovers (Para) 100 Orpheum — 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (BV), reissue 100 St. Louis Park — The Thrill of It All (Univ), 13th wk 80 State — The V.I.P.s (MGM), 4th wk 120 Suburban World — Lord of the Flies (Cont'l) 150 World— Irma La Douce (UA), 15th wk 100 Omaha Patrons Chiefly Interested in 'West' OMAHA — Theatre patrons in the area apparently did not take too well to the week’s offerings and only the MGM-Cinerama production, “How the West Was Won,” was able to push very much above average figures. The State had a good third and final week for “The V.I.P.S.” Admiral — Lilies of the Field (UA) 110 Cooper— The V.I.P.s (MGM) 120 Indian Hills — How the West Was Won (MGM Cinerama) 175 Omaha — The Leopard (20th-Fox) 90 Orpheum — Rampage (WB) 85 State — Battleground (MGM), reissue 90 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 UUnutok CHICAGO S, ILL. SOMETHING NEW FROM FILMACK Merchants Christmas Trailers Photographed On Beautiful Holiday Greeting Cards LINCOLN Bob Livingston, retired Lincoln and Nebraska showman, should be having a great time visiting and catching up with news from his longtime friends at the annual Theatre Owners of America convention in New York City. Bob, president of the Nebraska Theatre Owners Ass’n until it was dropped several years ago, flew east Friday (25) to be in New York City in time for the luncheon Sunday honoring Herman Levy, retiring legal counsel for TOA. Mrs. Livingston, who didn’t accompany Bob on the flying trip east, nevertheless paid her own kind of tribute to the popular TOA legal counsel by recalling the many thoughtful acts for which Herman Levy is known. Bob will return to Lincoln by plane after the convention which ends Thursday. Homer H. Hotchkiss, Lincoln motion picture projectionist local union member, has gone to Fort Pierce, Fla., for the winter. He worked this summer in the Varsity projection booth, returning after a recovery from a major automobile accident earlier this year. Friends here don’t look for Homer to return until after spring and warm weather have preceded him to Lincoln. The Joyo, Havelock’s suburban theatre, is scheduled for some lobby facelifting this fall or winter. Owner-operator Clarence Frasier plans to have both inner and outer lobbies repainted, install new lighting fixtures and carpet the inner lobby. A flagstone floor is used in the outer lobby — a most satisfying choice, Frasier adds, in view of year-round weather traffic. Frasier reports better business than average for this time of year, attributing it to a run of good pictures, such as “PT 109,” the currently showing “A Gathering of Eagles” and “The Thrill of It All” — the Doris Day-James Garner comedy, scheduled for November screenings . . . Frasier and his family should have a whopping big vacation next summer. They ended up this summer with only a short trip to Kansas City. Now school for young Paul and Connie Frasier make any other long trips impossible until next vacation time. Dan Flanagan, 84th and O Drive-In manager, is directing envious glances toward another of the Brehm-Hruska driveins — the 84th and Center in Omaha — where “Lawrence of Arabia” is current fare. But the 84th and O probably won’t get this film before next year, he adds. Dan’s immediate problem is replacing his cashier. His daughter, Mrs. Katherine Hansen, filling in temporarily, has deserted her dad to take on a daytime downtown job. Weather summary by a downtown movie house man: Lincoln’s weather still is too good for the indoor theatres to have the business they should; it’s still summer as far as drive-in movie business is concerned. “That’s right,” might be the smiling drivein operator’s comment. Walt Jancke, city manager for the Nebraska Theatres Corp., is doing a lot of weekend traveling this fall following the University of Nebraska football team to their out-of-town games; last was the one with Kansas State at Manhattan the 19th. Walt, always having to favor a bad leg, guesses the big climb up some 30 tiers in the stadium was worth the 28-6 UN victory, “though I wondered once or twice about whether I’d make it.” His game companions were John Reta, Lincoln Southeast swim coach, and businessman Max Polsky. Elruth Loos is missed around the State Theatre these days. She’s left to have an addition to the family. Meanwhile, one problem has been solved by Manager Bert Cheever — storage space for the new seats and other equipment ordered for the December 1-25 remodeling of the State. In order that slow shipments won’t delay the scheduled Christmas reopening of the State, Nebraska Theatres is ordering all items early, even though it means extra storage costs. Bert already has one big crated item, the new popcorn machine, to be placed in the storage-rental place — part of the Eagles building at 14th and P streets — not far from the State. The crated popcorn machine had been standing in the State lobby. Exhibitor William Freise; In Industry 60 Years LA CROSSE, WIS. — William Freise, who was in the theatre industry for more than 60 years, died recently in a hospital here at the age of 80. Freise managed the Rivoli Theatre for 33 years and the Riviera Theatre from 1955 until the time of his death. A native of La Crosse, he started out as properties boy in local theatres while attending school. He advanced to property man for vaudeville and turned the crank on the first movies, which were shown at the Bijou Theatre, the La Crosse Tribune recalled. He was with the Rivoli when talking pictures were introduced. Industry friends and civic associates united in giving him and his wife a recognition banquet in November 1957. He was a member of several civic, business and lodge organizations. Survivors are his wife Gladys; a daughter, Mrs. Donald (Betty) Biel, Sparta; a son, William jr., Chicago, and six grandchildren. MGM’s “The Haunting” deals with the world of the supernatural. As a screen game, HOLLYWOOD takes top honors. As a box-office attraction, it is without equal. It has been a favorite with theatre goers for over 15 years. Write today for complete details. Be sure to give seating or car capacity, HOLLYWOOD AMUSEMENT CO. ... 3750 Ookton Sr. * Skokie, Illinois BOXOFFICE :: October 28, 1963 NC-1