The Exhibitor (1960)

NEWS CAPSULES vl/ FILM FAMILY *j> ALBUM Arrivals Charles Einfeld, 20th-Fox vice-president, became a grandfather for the sixth time with the birth to his daughter, Mrs. John B. Hirsch, of a daughter, in Louis Weiss Memorial Hos¬ pital, Chicago. Rufus Brunke, manager, Dixie Cruise-In, Excello, Ohio, and Colonial, Middletown, Ohio, is the proud father of a son. Mrs. Mae Scholle, office manager, States Film Service, Cincinnati, Ohio, became the grandmother of a girl, Allison Lee McElfresh. Eugene Taylor, American International sound department, became the father of a boy, born in Kaiser Hospital, Hollywood, Cal. Go Id Bands Mary Ann Hodges, UA availability clerk, Cincinnati, was married to Marlon Bringham. Esther Drum, secretary, Tri-State Theatre Service, Cincinnati, Ohio, became the bride of Fred Riehle. Obituaries Sam Gorelick, 60, pioneer Chicago distribu¬ tion executive, died here. He was with RKO Radio for some 30 years. He is survived by his wife, a daughter, four brothers, and four sisters. Charles Hart, 81, father of Samuel Hart, Allied Artists publicist, passed away follow¬ ing a short illness. Services were held at Garlick Funeral Home in the Bronx, New York City. Mrs. Gussie Mantel, sister of Samuel Rinzler, president, Randforce Amusement Corp¬ oration, New York City, died last fortnight. NT&N Reports Loss BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.— National The¬ atres & Television, Inc., in its consolidated statement of income for the 39 weeks ended June 28, today reported net earnings for the period, before provision for loss on its in¬ vestment in National Telefilm, of $428,726 or 15 cents per share, as compared to $1,431,060, or 53 cents per share in the corresponding 39 week period of 1959. After provision for loss on the investment in National Telefilm, the company reported a net loss of $3,071,274 for the 39 weeks. Company president B. Gerald Cantor said a profit of approximately $3,000,000 realized from the sale of television and radio station WDAF, Kansas City, Missouri, is not included in the above figures. According to Cantor, theatre operations earlier this year were seriously handicapped by the strike against all major motion picture studios. In addition to the stoppage of pro¬ duction, there were delays in release of pictures completed prior to the strike which affected business long after a settlement was made with the unions. On the brighter side, Cantor reported that theatre business for the current quarter was ahead of that for the corresponding period last year. He credited that to stronger prod¬ uct coming to the theatres as studios returned to normal production. FORMS FOR THIS PAGE CLOSED AT 2 P.M. ON MON., SEPT. 19 Nudist Film In New S. C. Legal Hassle CHARLOTTE — The Midway Drive-In on U.S. Highway 221-A at Sandy Mush in Ruth¬ erford County, N. C., was ordered under court order recently to stop showing a film about nudists, “For Members Only.” Ervin Danzig, operator of the drive-in, said a Rutherford County sheriff’s deputy showed him the court order before his second show and told him if he showed the film again the film and his equipment would be confiscated. He said the order was signed by Superior Court Judge P. C. Froneberger, who was scheduled to open a term of court in Rutherford County soon. Solicitor M. Leonard Lowe refused to com¬ ment on the court order. The film is the same one that was attacked early in September in Charlotte under North Carolina’s obscenity law which prohibits the dissemination of obscenity and defines “ob¬ scenity as anything whose predominant ap¬ peal is “prurient interest, i.e., a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion.” In Charlotte, theatre operator Robert Schrad¬ er was acquitted in Recorder’s Court of violating the law by showing the film. The film opened at Danzig’s drive-in on Sept. 11 and two shows were scheduled the following night, but in serving the court order after the first show, the sheriff’s deputy turned customers to the second show away, Danzig said. Following on the heels of the Charlotte ruling, this one will be watched closely by legal folk and industryites both. Censorship on local levels throughout the country has been taking a beating in recent court decisions, but local law enforcement officials are in the habit of taking censorship duties into their own hands in a number of cases. \/ BROADWAY GROSSES First-Runs Hold Firm NEW YORK — With only one opening, the Broadway first-runs continued to hold their own and reported satisfactory business for last week. “LET’S MAKE LOVE” (20th-Fox). Para¬ mount claimed the second session at $40,000. “SONG WITHOUT END” (Columbia). Radio City Music Hall claimed $85,000 for Thursday through Sunday, with the sixth and last week expected to tally $125,000. Stage show. “OCEAN’S 11” (Warners). Capitol claimed the sixth week at $30,000. “PSYCHO” (Paramount). DeMille claimed $10,000 for the 14th week. “BEN-HUR” (MGM). Loew’s State, on re¬ served seat policy, reported $43,000 for the 43rd week. “HIGH TIME” (20th-Fox). Warner stated the opening week was $25,000. “THE APARTMENT” (UA). Astor did $22,000 on the 14th week. “STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET” (Colum¬ bia). Criterion reported $14,500 for the last eight days including the 12th week. “CAN-CAN” (20th-Fox). Rivoli had $24,000 for the 28th week on hard ticket policy. “IT STARTED IN NAPLES” (Paramount). Victoria anticipated the third week at $25,000. “ALL THE YOUNG MEN” (Columbia). Forum was heading toward a $24,000 fourth week, after $25,000 for the third. W. Pa. Allied Back In Fold PITTSBURGH— George Stern, president, and Harry Handel, chairman of the board, announced that Allied Theatre Owners of Western Pennsylvania decided unanimously to accept the invitation of the Allied States board of directors to reaffiliate with the par¬ ent organization. David Barrett, decorator of the new Trans-Lux 85th Street Cinema Cafe, New York City, shows Richard P. Brandt, president, Trans-Lux Theatres Corporation, and Thomas E. Rodgers, vice-president, a scale model of replicas of Parisian shops which will line a wall of the theatre lobby and contain window display cases. This authenticity will be in keeping with the motif of the theatre lobby, which will represent a street in Paris. September 21, 1 960 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 7