The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 27 John Wayne; Harold Brown, president, United Detroit Theatres; and Ward Bond, left to right, are seen at the recent premiere of C. V. Whit¬ ney's Warners release, "The Searchers," Palm State, Detroit. Dallas The Bruton Road Drive-In has been opened by Weisenburg Theatres. . . . Kiest Boulevard Drive-In, new 1,000-car ozoner built by Phil Isley, also was opened this week. Jack Swiger has been named manager. He is being shifted from the neighborhood Crest. . . . Irving W. Rust, manager of four drive-ins for Leon The¬ atres, Abilene, Tex., resigned to become a booker, Jefferson Amusement Company. Lloyd Rust, brother of Irving, has taken over duties as manager of the Leon ozoners. . . . John H. Rowley, president, United Rowley Theatres, was named chief barker of Variety Clubs International. . . . Dallas is scheduled to be on the itinerary of an American tour of Gina Lollobrigida. . . . Verlin Osborne, national WOMPI past president, was honored at the monthly luncheon of the Dallas WOMPI. . . . The new 1100-car Meadowbrook Drive-In, currently under construction, will replace the present Meadowbrook ozoner, which will give way to the new Dallas-Fort Worth turnpike. Houston Alvin Guggenheim, general manager, Broadway and Yale, was married to Hildred Brummett. ... A third daughter was born to Mrs. Dick Wygant, wife of the owner, Heights. . . . Mark Sheridan, southwest district manager, 20th-Fox, was a visitor. . . . Niven Busch, author of “Duel In The Sun,” is scheduled to visit Galveston, Tex., to do research work for RKO with reference to making a film about the Gulf Coast city. . . . John Ellis, manager, Santa Rosa, has one way to compete with television. When a set owner brings his TV set into the neigh¬ borhood repair shop near the Santa Rosa, in addition to receiving a claim check from the clerk, the set owner receives a letter signed by Ellis which says, “Sorry your TV is on the blink. Just as a con¬ solation, please accept this invitation to be our guest,” with a postscript which reads, “We guarantee no ‘cable trouble’ during your visit with us. If so, your letter will be cheerfully refunded.” . . . Special previews of “The Revolt Of Mamie Stover” and “Hilda Crane” were held in the screening room of the 20th-Fox ex¬ change. . . . Ellis Ford has returned as manager, Delman, with Aline McIntosh as assistant. . . . The Iris, formerly the Travis, operated by Horwitz Theatres, has been remodeled at a cost of over $40,000, according to Fred Cannatta, manager. Paradise To Be Razed, B-K Circuit Reveals Chicago — John Balaban, president, Balaban and Katz, struck the death knell of the Paradise, one of the largest movie palaces in the circuit. The structure will be razed, together with the organization’s four-story adjoining office building, fol¬ lowing a final performance June 14. Bala¬ ban did not immediately announce what is to be done with the land. Built at a cost of $1,500,000, when con¬ struction prices were at least a half of what they are today, the 3,600-seat house was opened in 1928. Balaban noted that when the Paradise was finished, top pro¬ ducers were issuing about 600 pictures a year. He added, “With the reduction to 200 pictures a year, you can’t run two important theatres in the same area.” B and K also operates the Marbro, a 3,900-seat house, not far from the Para¬ dise, in a neighborhood four miles west of the Loop. Another spot will be found for Ken Edgerly, Paradise manager. usiness (The Tip-Off On Business is a record of how pictures are grossing in various parts of the country. The rating given the pictures (see key) is a cross section of reports received from the field, and presents a summary of various types of runs. Inasmuch as the rating given cannot constitute the business of each individual engagement, an attempt is made to present a general average. By studying the ratings, which are constantly kept up-to-date, exhibitors may guide themselves in their buying and booking. — Editor) KEY TO "THE LITTLE MEN" RATINGS: (JUNE 6) H AAAARe9isterina 9ros,es 'n *he highest brackets. Just fair, nothing out of the ordinary, average. Baal Good, although not breaking down the walls. THE ROSE TATTOO (Paramount) CAROUSEL (20th-Fox) I'LL CRY TOMORROW (MGM) SLIGHTLY SCARLET (RKO) SERENADE (Warners) MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS (MGM) COMANCHE (UA) THE SWAN (MGM) THE BIRDS AND THE BEES (Paramount) ALEXANDER THE GREAT (UA) HILDA CRANE (20th-Fox) THE MAN IN THE GRAY FLANNEL SUIT (20th-Fox) Q Disappointing, below what was expected. FORBIDDEN PLANET (MGM) BAA THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (Paramount) Baaa WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS (RKO) Baa THE REVOLT OF MAMIE STOVER (20th-Fox) Bit THE HARDER THEY FALL (Columbia) BAAA 23 PACES TO BAKER STREET (20th-Fox) Baa GABY (MGM) Baa THE SEARCHERS (Warners) Baaaa JUBAL (Columbia) Baa THE RACK (MGM) Baa STAR OF INDIA (UA) Ba June 6, 1956