The Exhibitor (1959)

July 22, 1959 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 9 NEWS CAPSULES Para. Promotes Justin NEW YORK — Sidney Justin, head of Para¬ mount pictures studio legal department, has been appointed executive assistant to Jack Karp, vice-president in charge of the studio. In addition to his new assignment, Justin will continue as resident counsel and head of the legal department. Justin joined Paramount in 1930 as a mem¬ ber of the New York home office legal staff, transferring to Hollywood in 1935. He was named head of the studio legal department in 1946. He continued in that post until he was recently named resident counsel, suc¬ ceeding Karp upon the latter’s appointment as executive assistant to Y. Frank Freeman, who recently resigned. Phila. Fox To Close PHILADELPHIA — It was learned last week that NT's local Fox would close on Aug. 11 due to a lack of business and the in¬ ability to obtain an adjustment in the rent. The bidding situation among the city firstruns is understood to have aggravated the situation. >4 BROADWAY /\ GROSSES "Hole" "Circus" Draw Crowds NEW YORK — Several good openings helped boost Broadway grosses considerably over the week-end. According to usually reliable sources reach¬ ing MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, the break-down was as follows: “SAY ONE FOR ME” (20th-Fox). Para¬ mount ($39,453)* — The fifth and last week was estimated at $25,000. “THE NUN’S STORY” (Warners). Radio City Music Hall ($147,610) — Thursday through Sunday accounted for $92,000, with the fifth week sure to tally $150,000. Stage show. “THE BIG CIRCUS” (AA). Roxy ($55,405) — Friday through Sunday hit $45,000, with the opening week bound to top $70,000. Stage show. “THE FIVE PENNIES” (Paramount). Capi¬ tol ($33,350) — The fifth week was expected to reach $25,000. “TEN SECONDS TO HELL” (UA). Vic¬ toria ($22,900) — The opening week was re¬ ported at $12,000. “THE HORSE SOLDIERS” (UA). Astor ($25,630) — The fourth week was reported as $25,000. “ANATOMY OF A MURDER” (Col ). Cri¬ terion announced $46,000 for the third week. “MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT” (Col ). Forum did $13,000 on the fifth week. “A HOLE IN THE HEAD” (UA). Loews State garnered $72,000 for the opening ses¬ sion. “DIARY OF ANNE FRANK” (20th-Fox). RKO Palace announced $15,000 for the third week of continuous showings or the 18th of the engagement. *Figures in parentheses represent 1958 aver¬ ages as compiled by Motion Picture Ex¬ hibitor. A Quick Summary of All Important Industry News Condensed for the Busy Executive. FORMS FOR THIS PAGE CLOSED AT 2 P.M. ON MON., JULY 20 Planned Release Seen Key To U-l Success CHICAGO — With the company as well as exhibitors throughout the country happily recording the results of Universal-Interna¬ tional’s planned release of “Imitation of Life” and “This Earth Is Mine,” the same success¬ ful policy will be used in the forthcoming release of “Pillow Talk” and “Operation Petticoat,” Henry H. Martin, Universal gen¬ eral sales manager, told the sales executives at the concluding sessions of their three-day conference. Martin recalled that when the policy was first enunciated early this year, he had stressed that an extensive preselling campaign would precede the release of all these im¬ portant productions and that the promotional activity on the local level would be intensi¬ fied with each successive early opening of the picture. Martin announced that “Pillow Talk,” the Arwin Production in Eastman Color and CinemaScope, starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, and Thelma Ritter, will have its world premiere early in October. A heavy pre-selling campaign similar to those accorded “Imitation of Life” and “This Earth Is Mine” is already set, Martin said. “Operation Petticoat,” the Granart Produc¬ tion in Eastman Color starring Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merrill, Arthur O’Connell, and Gene Evans, will have a world premiere in Chicago early in No¬ vember, followed by a series of key city pre-release openings for Thanksgiving and a Christmas release from coast to coast. The same type of heavy pre-selling and intensive local point-of-sale promotional support will also be employed in the planned release of this picture, Martin said. FATHER AND SON Joseph E. Levine, head. Embassy Pictures, and one of the top showmanship figures in the industry, is seen here with his son, Richard, who accompanied him on a recent tour of principal exchange cities in the U.S. in con¬ nection with the Warners' release of "Hercules." SBA Loan Policies Hit NEW YORK — The charge that some re¬ gional offices of the Small Business Admin¬ istration are discouraging theatre owners from applying for S.B.A. loans, was made this week by Philip F. Harling, chairman of the Small Business Committee of the Theatre Owners of America. In a special message to TOA members, Harling said that officials of some SBA re¬ gional offices are not aware that theatres — both conventional and drive-ins — are eligible for loans, and have turned away applicants. He urged TOA members to obtain the help of his committee whenever they encountered such a reception. This condition, he said, may be one of the reasons for the small number of theatre applications being processed by the SBA, since loan coverage was extended to fourwall theatres about four years ago, and en¬ larged a year and a half ago to include drive-ins. His committee was instrumental in getting the SBA to change its regulations which previously barred loans to any seg¬ ment of the entertainment industry. N.J. House Picketed CAMDEN, N. J.— When IATSE Local 408 stagehands refused to do maintenance work at the SW Stanley recently and walked out, they began picketing the house. IATSE Local 418 projectionists refused to cross the picket line, but the house reports continued op¬ eration with non-union men at a saving of several hundred dollars per week, since five projectionist members of Local 418 were em¬ ployed, while the house is now operating with only two regular non-union men and one non-union relief man. FILM FAMILY A ALBUM Arrivals Dr. and Mrs. Paul G. Boomsliter, Albany, welcomed a son. Mrs. Boomsliter is the daughter of Seymour L. Morris, director of exploration and publicity for the Schine Cir¬ cuit, Gloversville, N. Y.. Obituaries William F. Broidy, 44, president, Broidy Pictures Corporation, and brother of Steve Broidy, president, Allied Artists Pictures Cor¬ poration, died in Hollywood following a long illness. Survivors, in addition to Steve Broidy, include his widow and three children, his father, and a sister. He was a native of Chel¬ sea, Mass. Frank Deane, veteran industry publicist and brother of Albert Deane, Paramount Inter¬ national’s manager of censorship and editing in New York, died suddenly last fortnight in Sidney, Australia. He is survived by a widow and one son. Mrs. Ann Levey, wife of Jules Levey, producer-distributor, died in New York City. She is also survived by two children, a sister, and five grandchildren. Mrs. Celia M. Yamins, wife of Boston ex¬ hibitor Nathan Yamins, died recently. In ad¬ dition to her husband, who is New England’s delegate to Allied States, she is survived by four daughters, 10 grandchildren, a brother, and a sister.