The Exhibitor (1960)

Tex., has taken over the operation of the town’s theatre. . . . Arturo Garcia has been appointed new manager, Iris, Eagle Pass, Tex. . . . Eliseo Mireles will open the Rattlers Drive-In, Rio Grande City, Tex. . . . The HiHo, suburban house, is currently being used for church services each night while the Art, formerly the Uptown, has been converted into a youth center. . . . Motion pictures are not motion pictures when they’re shown in a coin-operated arcade machine, the Court of Criminal Appeals at Austin, Tex., ruled in reversing a Harris County case. The court unanimously reversed and remanded the con¬ viction of Frank Joseph Pasquale for un¬ lawful exhibition of lewd motion pictures. . . . Ruben A. Calderon, of the three founders of Azteca Films, Inc., has become an exhib¬ itor at El Paso, Tex. Calderon has leased the Valley from Fred I. Lindau who has operated the house for the past 12 years and now plans to retire. . . . Merchants at Port Neches, Tex., have agreed to purchase tickets to be given away free to their patrons in order that the Neches might be reopened. Jefferson Amusement agreed to reopen on a trial basis after a group of businessmen set up the free ticket plan. . . . John Mitchell has been ap¬ pointed treasurer at the Ellanay, operated by Trans-Texas Theatres at El Paso, Tex. Bill T. Bohling is manager. When the motion picture “Spartacus” comes to this city, it will be picketed. Star¬ ring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis, the film is due at one of the Interstate Theatres soon after January. A local organization called “Committee to Expose Communist Support¬ ers” claims this film is unfit for public con¬ sumption. Wendell Fade, a member of the committee, stated that “the book author and Holywood script writer are clearly listed as Communists.” According to Fade, pickets will walk outside whatever theatre handles “Spartacus” in hopes of shaming people into not attending. . . . Angel de la Fuente, presi PROGRESSIVE ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION CO., INC. 240 N. 13th STREET • PHILADELPHIA 7, PA Theatre Installations and Maintenance Edward Muhl, center, U-l's vice-president in charge of production, is seen conferring with producer Robert Arthur, Feft, and Rock Hudson in Rome recently during the making of "Come September," Seven Pictures Corporation pro¬ duction for U-l release. dent, Cinematografica Latino Americana, Mexico City, was a visitor here, calling on officials at the Azteca Films exchange. . . . Jack Veeren, city manager Bordertown The¬ atres, El Paso, Tex., was announced as winner of the “Concessionaire of the Year” award at the annual Bordertown managers’ con¬ vention at Galveston, Tex. The award, the first time given, was sponsored by Cohen Candy Co., of Dallas, Tex. . . . Fire caused several thousand dollars’ damage to the Campus, Denton, Tex. Most of the damage was in the concession area, but there was also smoke damage on the second floor. Cause of the fire is unknown. . . . Wayne W. Conway, projectionist. State, El Paso, Tex., avoided a serious fire in the balcony. Notic¬ ing smoke on the projection light beam to the screen, Conway walked out to the re¬ cently vacated balcony to find one of the seats on fire. He rushed back to the booth, grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out ihe fire. About 10 minutes later Conway again saw smoke. This time he summoned Roland Phillips, the assistant manager, who found another seat on fire. Each fire was at different ends of the balcony. Had the blazes not been detected promptly, the State would have been closed for the night and the results would have been disastrous. . . .Jim Ander¬ son, assistant manager, Crawford, El Paso, Tex., tells of another major problem. In the past it has been vandalism on the part of those attending, loss of speakers at drive-ins, and now it is the stealing of electric light bulbs. As fast as the light bulbs are re¬ placed, they are removed by persons un¬ known. . . . “Tomboy and the Champ,” the Universal-International attraction produced by San Antonio’s Tommy Reynolds and Bill Lightfoot, will open here at the Texas on Jan. 27, with cowboy star Rex Allen and Candy Moore, the youngster in the tomboy role, on hand for personal appearances. . . . City Planning Commission recommended rejection of John Santikos’ application to turn the San Pedro Drive-In site into a retail shopping area. Santikos, a prospective buyer of the 21.65 acre site, may later appeal the Commission’s denial to the City Council. . . . San Antonio’s note writing “Phantom” bur¬ glar who has struck at several of the city’s drive-ins, may be smart enough to avoid arrest — but his spelling is lousy. Patrolman D. E. Beckett reported the burglar had broken into the office and concession stand at the Mission Drive-In. He broke up vend¬ ing machines, stealing the money and caus¬ ing extensive damage. Then he left a note reading: “The Phantom Has Strick Again.” . . . W. E. McGlothin has reopened his Elk Drive-In, Friona, Tex., which was hit by a tornado several weeks ago. McGlothin also reopened the Regal, hardtop there. The drive-in will be operated Sunday-Monday and Friday-Saturday until April or unless the weather permits continuous operations. . . . The Guild, Crystal City, Tex., is sched¬ uled to be remodeled. When completed it will have an attractive new framed alumi¬ num and glass front, new carpets, a new boxoffice, and general remodeling. SEATTLE Bill Vose, office manager-booker at MGM, left the Seattle exchange for a salesman’s position in the Los Angeles office. . . . Carl Hansaker, 20th-Fox Eastern Washington sales¬ man, returned to Spokane. . . . William Arthur Hartung, 76, a retired theatre man, died. Hartung was born in St. Paul, came to Seattle at the age of 16, and worked on the staff of the old Lyric and Third Avenue. He later managed theatres in Vancouver, B.C., Omaha, Milwaukee, Denver, and St. Louis. In 1929 he returned to Seattle as manager, Orpheum, and he later managed the Para¬ mount. . . . Paul McElhinney, Allied Artists booker, is recuperating after surgery. Planning the massive campaign which will introduce "David and Goliath," Beaver-Cham¬ pion Attractions' initial release, are Meyer M. Hutner and Stephen Mulvey, right, execu¬ tives of the newly formed group. Hutner ex¬ plains artist's Ernest Chiriaka's conception of a 24-sheet which will be offered gratis to exhibitors. MORE PROFITS PER CAPITA FOR YOU! VENDING COMPANY Div. of A.B.C. Vending Corp., 333 S. Broad Sf., Phiia. 7, Pa. • Offices in All Principal Cities Address Inquiries to 333 S. Broad St., Phiia. 7, Pa. 32 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR January 18, 1961