The Exhibitor (1956)

22 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR Boston Exhibs Protest Bundle Bow Delay Boston — Key exhibitors are incensed because RKO is not releasing “Bundle Of Joy’’ until after the first of the year. RKO officials maintain that there is no theatre available in Boston for the first-run showing of the holiday film. Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England, through its president, Edward W. Lider, sent a wire to Dan T. O’Shea, president, RKO Radio, New York, which stated, “We understand that ‘Bundle Of Joy’ is not now being released in this territory until after Jan. 1, because of a lack of a Boston theatre. We urge re¬ examination of this policy because the picture will lose the value of its Christ¬ mas and New Year appeal.” The RKO policy is, generally, for its first-run product to play day and date in Boston with other key cities, such as Springfield, Worcester, Fall River, and New Bedford, Mass., and Providence, R. I., and Portland, Maine, or immediately following the Boston opening. Because of the delay in Boston, New England’s largest city, the other key situations are forced to wait. Buffalo Variety Club dedicated the memorial plaque to deceased barkers with cere¬ monies in the Delaware Avenue head¬ quarters. . . . Earl L. Hubbard, Tech pub¬ licist, announced that the Cinerama bene¬ fit for UNICEF was a sell out. . . . Gene Tunick, United Artists district manager, and Milt Cohen, division manager, were in to install new branch manager Albert R. Glaubinger. The trio journeyed to Gloversville, N. Y., to confer with Schine Circuit executives. . . . Jim Fater, U-I salesman, returned to the job after recup¬ erating from an illness. . . . Jack Kelly, new U-I office manager transferred from Kansas City, has settled in suburban Kanmore. . . . Christmas parties included Paramount, in the Stage Door; RKO, in the La Marque; Warners, in the Town Casino; and MGM and United Artists in the exchanges. . . . Variety Club held an open hcuse in honor of past chief barkers and past presidents of the Women’s League. The Tent’s Christmas party for the Cerebral Palsy Clinic will be held in the clinic of the Children’s Hospital this week under the chairmanship of Mrs. Regis Stevenson, assisted by Mrs. James T. Biggie, Mrs. Elmer Lux, Mrs. Harry Wallens, and Mrs. Fran Maxwell. Chicago Charles A. Mercer, 73, retired man¬ ager, Newman Films, died in Highland Park, Ill. Interment was in Memorial Park cemetery. . . . Letters from Cardinal Stritch were read to Catholic Church congregations, asking support for the Legion of Decency and the signing of pledges. The letter also asked parishioners not to see “B” pictures. . . . Elmer Benesch, 58, former circuit owner, died in Flmwood. Park, Ill. He had been active in Variety Club. His wife, a son, a daughter, and seven grandchildren survive. . . . More than 53 witnesses have testified before a Federal grand jury in an investigation of what government sources term “suspected Charles Einfeld, 20th-Fox vice-president, center, recently presented to Daniel F. Sullivan, presi¬ dent, Daniel F. Sullivan Advertising Agency of Boston, left, a citation "in recognition of most outstanding commercial tie-in campaign wi:h a major film, "Carousel," and F. H. Snow Canning Company," as Gilbert A. Starr, merchandising director of the agency, right, looked on. This was the first such award ever made in the history of the film industry. welfare fund abuses” in the Motion Pic¬ ture Operators Union. Several theatre executives and projectionists were among those subpoenaed. The welfare fund is said to have reached about $1,500,000. Movie attendance for the first 11 months of the year was almost identical with that of last year, according to city tax collection figures. The take for the 1956 period was $1,032,711, compared with $1,097,022 last year. Total amusement taxes for the period were almost the same; $1,738,720 in 1956, and $1,786,741 a year ago. Movie attendance was up in Novem¬ ber, the taxes reaching $94,663, as com¬ pared with $94,025 a year ago. . . . More than a quarter of the 64 films examined by the Police Censor Board in November were from abroad. Seven cuts were made and one, an Italian pictures, was rejected. Two, an English and a French, were pinked. . . . Jack Kirsch, president, Allied Theatres of Illinois, will give his annual Christmas party in his offices on Dec. 21. . . . Bill Greene, former MGM promotional director here, was seriously ill at New Grace Hospital, Detroit. . . . Jacob Woehrle and his son John, recently opened their new Lakewood Drive-In, Jefferson¬ ville, Ind. Cincinnati James McDonald, TOC general manager, has been appointed chairman, Variety Club membership drive in the VCI com Bennett New Chief Barker Of Variety Buffalo Tent BUFFALO — Harold Bennett, branch manager, National Screen Service, has been elected chief barker, Tent Seven, Variety Club, succeeding Elmer F. Lux. Other new officers named for 1957 are, first assistant, George H. Mackenna, general manager, Basil's Lafayette; second assistant, Samuel Geffen, Warners; property master, V. Spencer Balser, Basil Brothers; and dough guy, Francis Maxwell, RKO. The new officers will be installed Dec. 29 and an installation dinner and dance will be held in the club’s Delaware Avenue headquarters on Jan. 26. B-K Plans Production Of Feature In 1957 Chicago — The life of St. Christopher, patron saint of travellers, will be the basis of a feature length motion picture to be produced in 1957 by the Balaban and Katz Theatres Corporation of Chicago, under the direction of its president, John Bala¬ ban, and vice-president and general man¬ ager, David B. Wallerstein. Earl Hudson, ABC vice-president in Los Angeles who is coordinating plans for the production with Balaban and Katz, already has signed screen writer Fredric N. Franck to write an original screen play based on St. Christopher’s life. Frank also was one of the three writers of Cecil B. DeMille’s production of “The Ten Commandments.” petition. Variety members are planning a gala New Year’s Eve party in the Hotel Metropole clubrooms, and the Ladies Aux¬ iliary will hold its annual holiday party Dec. 22, with Mrs. Saul Greenberg and Mrs. Harry Pollins arranging the pro¬ gram. Arrangements for installation of new officers in January are being made by a committee composed of Vance Schwartz, chairman; Phil Fox, Bernard Dabney, and James Joseph. Mrs. Arthur VanGelder, new president, Ladies Aux¬ iliary, has appointed the committee chair¬ men, including, membership, Mrs. Saul Greenberg and Mrs. Herman Hunt; pro¬ gram, Mrs. Morris Dennis and Mrs. Abe Strauss; ways and means, Mrs. Robert Jacobs; telephone, Mrs. Vance Schwartz; decorations, Mrs. Abe Maius and Mrs. Jack Onie; advertising and publicity, Mrs. Jack Finberg; food, Mrs. Allan Moritz and Mrs. Harry Pollins; heart, Mrs. Phil Fox and Mrs. Robert McNabb; hospitality, Mrs. Edward Salzberg; and hostess, Mrs. Wil¬ liam Onie. UA held an enthusiastic sales meeting following a luncheon at the Netherland Hilton Hotel, honoring James Velde, New York, general sales manager. Other UA executives present included Sid Cooper, district manager, and Milton Cohen, east¬ ern division sales manager. Following the session here, similar meetings were held in Indianapolis and Cleveland. . . . James Frew, U-I district manager, presided at a regional sales meeting in the Netherland Hilton Hotel. Harry H. Martin, southern sales manager, attended. . . . Frank Col¬ lins, general manager, Chakeres Circuit, Springfield, O., is handling film buying while Ray Frisz is convalescing at Miami Beach, Fla., from a heart attack. . . . The MGM Club staged its annual Christmas party at the Beverly Hills Country Club in nearby Kentucky. Chic Weinberg head booker, was in charge of arrangements. Willis Vance, exhibitor, has submitted plans to city officials for a downtown 10-story, 2000-car garage to cost about $3 million. Plans include a heliport, bus terminal, truck dock, and car service facilities. . . . About $1,500 damage was caused at the McCook, Dayton, O., in an unusual accident. An inebriated motorist drove his car with three children in it off the street and into the lobby, “without even stopping to buy a ticket,” according to Jack Smith, manager. . . . Lou Korte, 20th-Fox Kentucky salesman, is the proud father of twin boys. December 19, 1956