The Exhibitor (1960)

UNSOLICITED • The letters from readers which appear on this page are not solicited. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR does not suggest questions to readers in order to provide a flow of letters. From DALLAS, TEX. On behalf of our president, Mr. Harold ( Buster ) Novy, I want to take this oppor¬ tunity to thank you for selecting our managers for exploitation citations in MOTION PIC¬ TURE EXHIBITOR. We feel very proud when one of our man¬ agers cops an award, and it seems the boys have been getting their share. There’s no question that the extra incentive makes them work that much harder, and that is the most important requirement in today’s show busi¬ ness. We believe we have an outstanding group of showmen, ready and willing to put each and every picture across. A tip of the Trans-Texas hat to MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR for helping us gen¬ erate the inspiration that is so much needed in today’s market. NORM LEVINSON, General Manager Trans-Texas Theatres, Inc. EDITOR'S NOTE. And a tip of the MPE hat to Trans-Texas for realizing the importance of showmanship. A cir¬ cuit publication, "What's New," calls attention to imaginative exploitation efforts by Trans-Texas personnel. We’re sure recognition like this is a major factor behind the frequent appearances of these managers in our EXPLOITA¬ TION department. little early for it, for they close in three months. But it will be a big year for TV. For TV, a year never started off with such a bang before. Do you realize that the Regal sale re¬ presents an average of one picture a day for TV so far this year? When the Guilds get themselves cheated out of their post1948 cuts, and when the post1948s hit TV, just watch the theatre struggle end. And! If you think all of your competition is coming from TV, take a walk into your town’s high school and you’ll be shocked to see 2,000 kids watching "GIGI.” How much is that in boxoffice dollars? It cost the school $37.50. You can thank the studios for that too! And if that doesn’t smash us, don’t forget they are working on a little secret weapon called "Pay TV’’. STEPHEN LANNES Theatreman EDITOR'S NOTE: The newspaper tearsheets enclosed covered 13 "movie specials” scheduled through Eebruary on Channel 4. Seven were from the old RKO "dump," three ivere imports, and three ivere 1948 or earlier releases. So we can’t see too mtich reason for getting excited over the TV fare. But that "GIGI" date is different. This we ivill follow up. From BELLMORE, L.I., N.Y. Something I have been meaning to write to my favorite trade magazine about for a long time — is how extremely delighted I am, for one exhibitor, about the usefulness of your "A-MAN Corner” — that appears each and every week. Only recently I had cause to refer to it to find a man for a particular position I needed filled — and the placement was made. The re¬ sults, so far, very good. I find other exhibitor friends, here on Long Island, that feel exactly the same way as 1 do. Unfortunately, nobody ever seems to wri*e to say anything about "A MAN” — so 1 thought I should express my feelings. Keep up the good work, it is much ap¬ preciated. RALPH E. DONNELLY Associated Independent Theatres EDITOR'S NOTE: The A-MAN COR¬ NER is the friendliest of all trade paper departments. Completely FREE . . . the man who wants a job ... or the job who wants a man . . . meet! From SEATTLE, WASH. After looking over all of the other pro¬ fessional trade papers I have come to the con¬ clusion that MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR is the finest because of authenticity and willing¬ ness to serve the industrv and all of its parts. MELVIN LILLIE Amateur Film Study Group From CINCINNATI, 0. There just seems to be no end to what MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR has to offer to the individual theatreman day after day after day. I can really state that I am amazed at the number of articles and informative items that I have found in your weekly. Your classifications of movies and your reference indexes are ever so helpful. Gee! This letter sounds as though Tm a newcomer to the business — which I’m not! MRS. CHASE Chase Theatres EDITOR'S NOTE: We try! And notes like this make us feel it is north it. From OAKLAND, CAL. Enclosed is what the first month of I960 has brought to theatres in this area. Quite some competition isn’t it? Well, not every theatre can take such competition. One of Oakland’s biggest down^^own theatres, the Cen¬ tral, couldn’t take it. I960 is going to end a From GLENDALE, CAL I just screened a l6mm. print of "A ROYAL VOYAGE” in DeLuxe color. It is identical in content with your review of "ROYAL RIVER,” appearing on P. 4631 of the REVIEWS section, except that it runs nine minutes and is not in CinemaScope. I did notice that it was followed by a National Film Board of Canada credit. In the current yellow SERVISECTION, "A ROYAL VOYAGE” is listed as a nine minute CinemaScope Special and refers to the same P. 4631. What’s the story? I hope you realize that your accurate ac¬ counting of all films is very much appreciated — and needed. As other trade weeklies con¬ tinue cutting services to the subscribers (such as doing away with the page column reference to Short Subjects), MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR becomes more and more valuable. I now depend on it almost entirely, and know it will never let me down. GEORGE CRITTENDEN Theatreman EDITOR'S NOTE: Fox released two CinemaScope versions, a 20m. one for Canada and a 9m. one for the U.S. and there was some confusion, including the title. Of course, anything can happen in 16mm. And thanks for the nice words of praise. We try! From CONRAD, MONT. I would like to suggest that MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR add the running time to the alphabetical list of pictures. HAROLD W. PYLE, Manager Orpheum Theatre EDITOR’S NOTE; Running times on all features are listed in the alphabetical index to all reviews as carried on the hack of the pink REVIEWS section. This data is again given in the listing by dis¬ tribution sources in the yellow SERVI¬ SECTION. Shouldn’t this suffice.^ From SWAN LAKE (Manitoba) CANADA We want to extend an invitation to drop in on us if there are any fishing enthusiasts down your way. We are located at the gate¬ way to the North, and anyone taking in the FLIN FLON TROUT FESTIVAL must travel right past the door of our Northern Drive-In. We would be more than pleased to show you around. O. WINTONYK Capitol Theatre & Northern Drive-In EDITOR’S NOTE: We don’t know u'hether this invitation applies to all of our theatre executive subscribers, but if you are up that way, try saying "hello’' to Air. Wintonyk. He sounds like a hospitable guy. From BAYONNE, N.J. My current ACHIEVEMENT CITATION makes it an even dozen times that I have re¬ ceived this honor in a little more than two years. Plus the time my picture ran on the front cover of the Jan. 23, 1957, issue, that makes it a "lucky 13.” And I can assure you that those framed CITATIONS make a sort of CinemaScope screen on my office wall. NYMAN KESSLER Stanley Warner DeWitt Theatre EDITOR'S NOTE: This manager hap¬ pens to be one of the most active ex¬ ploiters in the business. lUe expect to see him win 30 or more before he is through. From PUEBLO, COLO. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR is fine. All we need are more good pictures. LIONEL R. SEMON, Pres.-Gen’l Mgr. Pueblo Drive-In Ths., Inc.