Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

• ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS • ALPHABETICAL INDEX • EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY • FEATURE RELEASE CHART • FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST • SHORTS RELEASE CHART • SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS • REVIEWS OF FEATURES • SHOWMANDISING IDEAS THE GUIDE TO p BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S B U I L D I N G She's Mine' Premiere Gives Small City Moment of Glory Two-Day World Inaugural in Abilene, Tex., Is Major Industry PR Event A grassroots premiere, put on in full scale glamor and well planned by skilled showmen, adds prestige to the motion picture industry far beyond its own scope. The world premiere of “Take Her, She’s Mine” at Abilene, Tex., population 100,000, with Jimmy Stewart and Sandra Dee heading the festivity, was not only a major event, promotionwise, for the industry but also civicly and publicwise for people of Texas, as the following report by Interstate Theatres advertisingpublicity manager discloses. By FRANCIS BARR Publicity-Advertising Director for Interstate and Texas Consolidated Theatres One of the greatest world premieres ever staged in Texas made glorious history November 4 and 5. The concerted effort of Interstate-Texas Consolidated Theatres and 20th CenturyFox Pictures launched “Take Her, She’s Mine” into an orbit that attracted nationwide atention. One of the greatest world premieres ever staged in Texas made glorious history November 4 and 5. The concerted effort of Interstate-Texas Consolidated Theatres and 20th Century-Fox Pictures launched “Take Her, She’s Mine” into an orbit that attracted nationwide attention. James Stewart and Sandra Dee, costars of the film, spearheaded a two-day celebration of premiere activities in Abilene, climaxed by a parade witnessed by 35,000 spectators. The west Texas city probably will never be quite the same after the rip-roaring world premiere. “Take Her, She’s Mine” was Abilene’s first major world premiere and the city reacted with gusto. Police estimated that the crowd lining a dozen downtown blocks equaled a third of the total population of Abilene. Abilene residents said the only comparable event in the city is the Christmas parade, but that this annual event has never matched the excitement and attendance of the movie premiere and parade. The parade, including nine school bands, among which was the world famous Hardin Simmons College Cowboy band, a half dozen sheriffs’ posses and groups of horsemen with several from neighboring counties, numerous cars and floats, passed in review in front of the Paramount Theatre. On a platform in front of the theatre were two stars of the picture, James Stewart and Sandra Dee, plus Mrs. Stewart, city It was a big moment when Jimmy Stewart and Sandra Dee stood up before thousands crowded in front of the Paramount Theatre in Abilene, Tex., on world premiere night — a big moment for the stars as well as for the excited onlookers. Club. Premiere headquarters was at the new downtown Hiway House Hotel. Stewart perhaps summed up his own reaction and that of Miss Dee and visitors such as Jonas Rosenfield, Dallas-born vicepresident of publicity-advertising for 20thFox, when he said from the Paramount Theatre stage “This is the greatest day in my life; nothing like this has ever happened to me before.” The audiences at both the Paramount and Queen theatres perhaps summed up the reaction of Abilene to the premiere by giving the picture a standing ovation at its close. Stewart and Miss Dee were on stage with Pryor in the same program in the Palace Theatre in Dallas and the Worth Theatre in Fort Worth Wednesday night, in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre Thursday night and in Houston at the Metropolitan Theatre Friday night. While in Houston, the stars had lunch with the astronauts at the NASA base. Amusements editors, columnists, television news cameramen and radio personalities from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Austin, El Paso, Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Waco, Tyler, Brownwood, Eastland, Tulsa and Oklahoma City converged on Dallas at noon Monday, November 4, where they met Stewart and Miss Dee at a press cocktail party and (Continued on next page) officials, military officers from Dyess Air Force base and other visiting guests. The premiere had been announced for the Paramount only, but the capacity of this house was sold out Tuesday morning and arrangements were hurriedly made to open the nearby Queen Theatre to make it a double premiere showing. Stewart and Miss Dee appeared on stage in both theatres before audiences that filled all the seats and packed all the standing room. Cactus Pryor, Austin, Texas radio-television personality, was master of ceremonies for the “on stage” program, which was enthusiastically received. Stewart brought the audiences to their feet by playing “The Eyes of Texas” on an accordion as a finale. It was apparent from the moment the chartered plane, bringing the stars and other guests, touched down at Abilene municipal airport that the premiere was going to be something different. There were several hundred fans at the airport and several thousand at the nearby Public School Stadium where both stars made brief talks. The city of Abilene, officials and citizens, with the full cooperation of the officers from nearby Dyess Air Force base, part of the Strategic Air Command, went all-out to fill the 30-hour premiere schedule with luncheons, dinners and other entertainment. These included a cocktail dinner dance hosted by the Westwood BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Dec. 2, 1963 — 189 — 1