Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1963)

MINNEAPOLIS Mnl City’s visitor of the week from Movieville was director Daniel Mann, in town to promote his latest feature, a Dean Martin starrer, “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?” Mann defended his film as valid satire against a newsman who playfully suggested to him that what the public wants is more serious pictures and fewer frivolous comedies. <Any reader of the MINNEAPOLIS “ « A Merry Christmas A Happy New Year i f From All of Us to All of You f I UNIVERSAL PICTURES! S COMPANY Kenneth Adams Chuck Bliss Chet LeVoir Roy Miller John Wang Glenn Wood & I I 1 I Boxoffice Barometer could have given this newsman a lecture on the realities of the movie business.) Of his picture, Mann said, "I think the film is a delightful spoof of our times and I think it has something to say and we’ve done our best to say it in an entertaining way.” Despite an alarming lack of cooperation from old man weather, local first-run exhibitors have done exceptionally well in getting mileage out of their Thanksgiving features, most of which have done well right down to the present. Quality of the product and smart exploitation thereof is the trick, say veteran theatremen. Announced this week as Christmas features for downtown houses are ‘‘The Cardinal,” due in at the State; “4 for Texas” at the Lyric; “Who’s Minding the Store?” at the Orpheum, and “Kings of the Sun” at the Mann. A success story reported by Bob Carr, manager of the Maco Lyric, is his promotional contest for “X — the Man With the X-Ray Eyes.” With the prize a Roberts 1055 stereophonic tape-recorder donated by Radio Electronic Supply, all Twin Cities Roberts dealers were supplied with props and entry blanks, and promotion began. The final tally revealed a fantastic 2,384 entries, with the winning presentation made by Bob on television station WTCN. The success of the contest as a promotional device was best spelled out in the fat boxoffice on the AIP picture, one which, frankly, wasn’t one to make a theatreman stand up and cheer in anticipation of a stampede on his front doors. Seems there should be a lesson in all this somewhere for exhibitors who just stand back with their hands in their pockets and wonder where the audiences are these days. Young Blind Persons Are Guests of Publicists From Western Edition HOLLYWOOD— The Hollywood Publicists Ass’n sponsored Christmas parties on the 13th, 14th for the 500 members of the Foundation for the Junior Blind. Steve Allen, Allyson Ames, Mary Anderson, Dick Chamberlain, Nat Cole, Bill Dana, Rufe Davis, Clarence Nash, William O. Douglas jr., Jim Franciscus, Jack Ging, Marty Ingels, Dal McKennon, Pernell Roberts, Ray Walston and Bruce Yarnell were entertainers. Los Angeles organizations contributed toys, gifts, refreshments and phonograph records to members of the nonprofit organization, of which Norman Kaplan is the founder and executive director. United Artists Records and its parent film company are backing the national openings of Stanley Kramer’s “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” with tie-in displays in shops from coast-to-coast. MINNEAPOLIS MINNEAPOLIS LEO'S MINNEAPOLIS GANG EXTENDS Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year LEROY SMITH: Branch Manager DON DALRYMPLE: Office Manager Salesmen: CHARLES STOFLET, DARYL JOHNSON Bookers: DICK ELLMAN, BOB BRANTON, DAVID SYLVESTER % | Seasons Greetings § A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year ^ From the Five of Us to All Our Friends Eddie Burke, District Manager Salesmen: Lon Eichten, Larry Fuehrer, ft Bob Helmerson & Jim McDonald 1 Motion Picture Alexander Corp. 4362 Coolidge Avenue Minneapolis 24, Minn. Telephone WA 2-3452 it e»isrS5$&e?*ar«®ifr«!$re?^^ » Season s Greetings A Merry Christmas A Happy New Year Health and Prosperity From All of Us to All of You NORTHWEST THEATRE CORP. 1104 Currie Ave. Tel. FE 6-8669 Minneapolis, Minn. Comprising a group of some 75 of the territory's exhibitors and others Buying and Booking Pictures Paul Lundquist Dorothy Duray Dick Toilette Dolores Lundquist % Best Wishes for the Holidays | From All of Us to All of You I PARAMOUNT PICTURES •I ij| F. C. Myers, Branch Manager s Bonnie Lynch, Booking Manager ft Birger Ronning, Joe Rosen, Salesmen S Bookers: jl Ernie Lund Ann Krekelberg f 1104 Currie Ave. Minneapolis, Minn. NC-4 BOXOFFICE December 23, 1963