The Exhibitor (1955)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR NT-3 Farmers’ Market, newest and largest facility of its kind in the state, for dis¬ tribution of 5,000 theatre heralds each week. Heralds are placed into shopping bags at the check-out counters; in return, LeRoy is giving the market a free trailer on his screen. . . . Terry Locatelli, East Hartford Family Drive-In, South Wind¬ sor, plans a small platform in front of the screen, to be used for occasional patron talent. Sperie Perakos, general manager, Perakos Theatre Associates, tied -up with WKNB to broadcast the Tex Pavel show from the Plainville Drive-In on Monday and Friday nights from 7:30 to 8 p.m. . . . Harry Browning, New England Theatres, reports a stunt for 20th-Fox’s “Daddy Long Legs” by Larry Burke, Capitol, Pittsfield, Mass. Burke arranged with a photo studio for distribution of free cou¬ pons entitling all patrons to a regular 8 x 10 photo, usually $7.50, for only $2.50. . . . Bob Schwartz, Lake Drive-In, brought in a live show for an extra Friday night attraction. Joe Principe and his Manhattan Moods offered a bop session, with Gene Valentine serving as master of ceremonies. Walter Lebowitz formerly Loew’s Poli, has been named manager, Parsons, for Bercal, Inc., the corporation headed by Bernie Menschell and John Calvocoressci, operators of the Star, Hartford; the Plainfield, Plainleld, and the Manchester DriveIn, Bolton Notch. . . . Extensive remodeling is planned this summer at the 4200-seat State, which will be closed until early September. Ray McNamara, Allyn, was named thea¬ tres division chairman for the 1955 cam¬ paign of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Metropolitan Hartford. . . . Joe Dolgin, buyer and booker, Pine Drive-In, served on the committee in charge of the sixth annual Warsaw Ghetto Memorial of the Hartford Jewish Community, held at the Agudas Achim Synagogue. Charles Aaron, formerly manager, Morris Pouzzner’s Victory, New London, has been named manager of the Star here. Aaron has been in the industry foxmore than two decades. . . . New auto¬ matic phone answering device has been installed at Lockwood and Gordon’s Webb, Wethersfield. . . . Bill Daugherty, manager, L and G East Windsor Drive-In, has re¬ sumed his duties, following surgery at Hartford Hospital. . . . Norm Levinson, formerly assistant to Lou Cohen, Loew’s Poli, and now MGM press representative, Minneapolis, was in town for a few days. The cancellation of the regional pre¬ miere of RKO’s “Son Of Sinbad,” at E. M. Loew’s, was announced by George E. Landers, division manager, E. M. Loew’s Theatres, following publication of a state¬ ment by the Most Rev. Henry J. O’Brien, Archbishop of Hartford, sharply criticiz¬ ing current moral standards in motion pictures, which was prefaced by mention of the RKO release, already condemned by the Legion of Decency. The Stratford, Conn., Board of Zoning Appeals has unanimously upheld the Town Planning and Zoning Board in denying Paul McNamara, six-year-old son of Ray McNamara, Allyn, Hartford, Conn., recent¬ ly held a model plane while looking over a lobby display on Paramount’s “Strategic Air Command.” James N. Sniffen a waiver of zoning reg¬ ulations to permit a drive-in on land zoned for residence B and light industry. . . . First 50 patrons in line at opening of “Daddy Long Legs” at Loew’s Poli received Ray Anthony Capitol recordings of “Sluefoot” from the film’s sound track, through a tie-up by theatre manager Lou Cohen, and his assistant, Albert Corey. Mrs. Kate Treske, Lenox, returned from a Los Angeles vacation. . . . George Smith, Colonial, returned to his desk, following illness which bedded him at his home. . . . Air conditioning system has been installed at the Crown. The downtown, subsequent-run situation was recently extensively remodeled. . . . George E. Landers, Hartford division manager, E. M. Loew’s Theatres, had news stand displays on “Five Against The House.” Joe Borenstein, Stanley Warner Strand, New Britain, Conn., had a co-op ad with a New Britain merchant on “The Prod¬ igal.” . . . Dennis Rich, SW Cameo, Bris¬ tol, Conn., offered free pair of “Davy Crockett” moccasins to boy and girl patrons at a recent Saturday matinee. . . . Joe Dolgin, buyer-booker, Pine DriveIn, Waterbury, Conn., and Mrs. Dolgin were active in a recent Yiddish Cultural Club production staged at the Hartford Jewish Community Center. Mrs. Dolgin was director, with Joe serving as business manager. Mansfield First regional showing of the contro¬ versial RKO release, “Son of Sinbad,” was held at Morris Keppner-Lou Lipman’s Manfield Drive-In, following lastminute cancellation of booking by George E. Landers, Hartford division manager, E. M. Loew’s Theatres, for the E. M. Loew’s, Hartford. Landers’ action followed mention by title of the film by all Hai'tford Roman Catholic pastors as preface to a statement by the Most Rev. Henry J. O’Brien, Hartford Archbishop, sharply criticizing lowering of morals of motion pictui’es. Middletown Some 55 members of the Middletown Kiwanis Club and their wives were guests of Sal Adorno, Jr., owner-general man¬ ager, Middletown Drive-In, at a pre¬ opening party. Official opening, with state and city dignitaries participating in rib¬ bon-cutting, was held the following night. Tuesday is now “Buck Night” and Thursday termed “Early Bird Night’ at the Middletown Drive-In. General man¬ ager Sal Adorno, Jr., is charging $1 per carload on Tuesday nights only, while the main attraction, regularly shown late, is screened first on Thursday evening r. New Britain Sperie Perakos, general manager, Perakos Theati'es, and Mi's. Pei'akos, registei'ed for the annual regional con¬ vention of AHEPA, a Gi'eek social and fraternal oi'der, at the Statler Hotel, Hartford. Perakos is a former regional governor. New London Nick E. Brickates, district manager, Stanley Warner Theati'es, congratulated John Petroski, Garde, New London; John Scanlan, Warner, Torrington; William McGrath, State, Manchester, and Dennis Rich, Cameo, Bristol, for taking top honors in recent circuit promotional activity. Stamford Burglars took a 650-pound safe contain¬ ing over $1,000 in cash and important papers from the Starlite Drive-In. Waterbury Manager Frank McQueeney, Pine DriveIn, started a series of Tuesday night wrestling shows. Waterford A new wide-screen has been installed at the Waterford Drive-In. West Hartford The Federal government has filed a tax lien against Allan Stewart, former manager, Parsons, Hartford, for unpaid excise admission taxes totaling $3,961.47. Maine Portland This city will have its fii'st film pre¬ miere when the 20th-Fox feature, “The Virgin Queen,” is pi’esented at the Strand, July 22. Bette Davis, starring in the film, is now a resident of Cape Elizabeth, and it is through her graciousness that the affair was arranged. Proceeds will be turned over to the Children’s Theatre of Portland, one of Miss Davis’ favoi'ite organizations. Plans for the premiere were discussed and consummated at the Hotel Graymore, with Miss Davis heading the group. Others present were Phil Engle, 20th-Fox publicist; Miss Lysle Abbott, px-esident, Childi'en’s Theatre; Chai-les Doughty, its director; Nat Silver, manag¬ ing director, Strand; John P. Sullivan, manager, Empire; Edwai'd E. Kessler, Jr., Chamber of Commerce; heads and members of the press, radio and television. Phil Engle pi'omised that the affair would resemble a true Hollywood opening with kleig lights, bands, and a plane load of stars to be flown into the city by 20thFox. A buffet supper wi 1 be sei'ved at a hotel before the film is scheduled to go on. Miss Davis has been intei'ested in the Children’s Theatre since the beginning of her residence in Greater Portland, and June 15, 1955