Motion Picture Daily (Jul-Sep 1960)

Wednesday, July 6, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 7 Susiness Big (Continued from page 1) 30,400 at the Criterion for the three lays. Allied Artists' "Pay or Die," in its xth week at the Warner, recorded 9,000 over the weekend. "Murder, iic.," drew a strong $15,700 at the ictoria. In its final week at the Capi>1 "The Rat Race" pulled in $9,918 jr the three days. "Ben-Hur" did its sual capacity business over the weeknd at Loew's State. 'Bells' Strong "Bells Are Ringing" did a better ran average $98,000 at the Music [all. Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" !,lled up $46,000 at the De Mille and 15,186 at the Baronet for the fivejay period ended Monday. "I'm All ,ight, Jack," in its 10th week at the iuild, produced $8,150 for the three ays. ; "The Story of Ruth" brought in 21,000 at the Paramount over the 'eekend, and at the Rivoli "Can-Can" irossed $32,000 for the week ended iesterday. Loew's reported that both "The i.partment" and "Bells Are Ringing" i'ere doing from good to excellent usiness in out-of-town situations. Lo ially, the double bill featuring "The jlreatest Show on Earth" and "The I word and the Cross" did very well in f,oew's houses over the weekend, i 'Portrait' Nationally Popular I Universal^ "Portrait in Black" was hill a big success in its opening dates, Mgrossing "Imitation of Life" and '[Pillow Talk" in most situations, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Portimd, Seattle, Denver, Salt Lake City, :iirmingham, and Columbia, S. C. j Joseph E. Levine's "Hercules Unchained" was reported to be pushing ''ard on the heels of its predecessor, jnd is running ahead of "Hercules" in [! few situations. The new picture took \i around $19,000 in its first week at lie Pilgrim, Boston, and is expected 3 gross $500,000 in its 200 day-and■ ate situations in the six New England lates by the end of its first full week. Coast Likes 'Gantry' I "Elmer Gantry" registered the highest opening week gross in the past fear at the Hollywood Paramount in Los Angeles with a gross of $25,192, [Jnited Artists announced. The picture (pens locally tomorrow at the Capitol. ■ "Psycho" was also reported big Iver the weekend in other engagements outside of New York, including Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. Ifhe following figures were reported Personnel Realigned at Rowley United Theatres Special to THE DAILY DALLAS, July 5. Important changes, effective Aug. 6, in key personnel of Rowley United Theatres have been announced by John H. Rowley, president of the circuit. Alton Sims, at present buyer and booker in the Memphis office, and district manager for five Arkansas towns, will come to Dallas as head of the booking department and film buyer, including supervision over the buying for Arkansas. Robin Wightman, city manager of the Little Rock Theatres, will assume enlarged duties as district manager for Arkansas. Johnny Howell, Dallas booker, will be transferred to Memphis as buyer and booker. Callahan Heads Purchasing Dave Callahan, Dallas, at present head of the booking department and buyer, will be in charge of purchasing. The 28 Texas and Oklahoma towns will be divided into three districts and Dave Callahan will be district manager for one of these. James May, Dallas, will continue in charge of concessions and district manager. Bill Slaughter, Dallas, will have a district and supervision of all districts. His new title will be assistant general manager. Greenville Times Acquires 'Gallows9 Times Film Corp. has acquired for American distribution the French picture, "Ascenseur pour l'Echafaud," which has been tentatively retitled "Elevator to the Gallows." for the six-day period ending Monday: $31,668, Woods, Chicago; $22,209, Paramount, Boston, and $19,717, Arcadia, Philadelphia. An additional pre-release engagement of "Psycho" was opened at the Palace Theatre, Stamford, Conn., last Wednesday with record-breaking results. For the six days ending Monday the gross was a resounding $22,529. Baltimore Business Big BALTIMORE, July 5. The long holiday weekend gave a big boost to box offices here where major attractions could offset competition of outdoor celebrations and community festivities. Although not record-breaking, "The Apartment" scored strong grosses; "Ice Palace" drew crowds and two road shows, "Ben Hur" and "CanCan," with extra performances, were capacity. Art houses did better than average business. ( Continued from page 1 ) here say the city governing body will first have to authorize the relaxation in the ban imposed by South Carolina's "blue laws." Attorney General Dan McLeod has been quoted as saying that "as far as state law is concerned, the city of Greenville now is in the population category of cities where Sunday showings are allowed." As noted, the "magic number" is 62,000. Any city with a population above that can have Sunday showings under state law. Greenville's 1950 city population was 58,161. This year's census count shows 65,775. In addition to cities with a population of over 62,000, state law allows Sunday movies in cities of smaller size with certain specified population brackets. Some beach areas and military towns also are exempt from the ban. Clarified by Attorney General Attorney General McLeod emphasized that the state law specifically requires authorization for Sunday movies from a city governing body. He pointed out that the Darlington City Council recently rejected a request for Sunday movies even though the city fell into one of the population brackets where Sunday movies are permitted. It will be recalled that months ago theatre owners in the Greenville-Spartanburg area decided to launch a vigorous campaign against the Sunday "blue law" ban on movies. A test case is now pending before the South Carolina Supreme Court. Studios Complete Six, Start 3; 28 in Work From THE DAILY Bureau HOLLYWOOD, July 5.-With principal photography completed on six productions, and only three new ones started, the total number currently before the cameras is 28. Started were: "A Raisin in the Sun" (Columbia Pictures); "Jack The Giant Killer" (Edward Small production for United Artists release); "War Hero" (an independent production being produced by Burt Topper). Completed were: "Sappho, Venus of Lesbos" (Documento Film for Columbia release); "G.I. Blues" (Hal WallisParamount production); "Freckles" and "Desire in the Dust" (API production for 20th Century-Fox release); "Exodus" (Otto Preminger production for United Artists release), "The Great Impostor" (Universal-International). PEOPLE Jack Armstrong, president and general manager of the Armstrong Circuit, Bowling Green, Ky., has acquired the lease on the 342-seat State Theatre, Bellvue, O., from the Northern Theatre Corp. □ I. M. Rappaport will reopen his Aurora Theatre, Baltimore, late in July following complete remodeling. □ Jack Zide, independent distributor of Detroit, who handles the product of American International Pictures, has moved from the Film Exchange Building to the Fox Building. □ Milton Levins, who recently resigned as United Artists salesman in Albany, N. Y., for a post outside the industry, will return to the company on July 11 as office manager and booker. □ Robert Blitz, for the past 17 years with Warner Brothers in Cleveland as booker and salesman, has resigned to join the Paramount sales organization there. □ Elmer Fox has reopened his Easton Playhouse, Easton, Md., which had been closed for several months. □ Al Becker, veteran supply dealer and projectionist of Buffalo, who forsook retirement a few years ago to re-enter the industry with National Theatre Supply, will be wined and dined on Aug. 4 in celebration of his 75th birthday. □ Leonard J. Riendeau, associated with the management of the Arcade and Bijou theatres, Springfield, Mass., has been named house treasurer at the Arcade for the duration of the "CanCan" engagement. □ Pat Beck has left the sales staff of United Artists in Philadelphia to join the Claude Schlanger Theatres, operator of drive-ins and indoor houses in the area. 'Finn' Set in Brooklyn M-G-M's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" will have its first New York showing July 13 at Loew's Metropolitan Theatre in Brooklyn. It will open throughout the New York area in early August. A COMPLETE LINE OF PROFESSIONAL CINE FILMS Sales Offices and Warehouses Ml 321 West 54th Street New York 19, N. Y. 6370 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles 38, Calif. JrJHi 6601 N. Lincoln Ave. Lincolnwood (Chicago) 1355 Conant Street Dallas 7, Texas Quality photographic materials . . backed by more than half a century of experience. GEVAERT THE GEVAERT COMPANY OF AMERICA, INC. I