The Exhibitor (1964)

ALBANY The SW Strand gave the laugh to film critic Robei't Day, Times-Union, via the insertion of a cartoon in their newspaper ad on the extension of Warners’ “Sex and the Single Girl” for a second week. The ad was captioned, “Here’s A Little Game We Some¬ times Play At The Theatre — It’s Called ‘FIND THE CRITIC!’ ” One sour-faced individual’s ! head was spotted in the middle of three lines of grinning faces. Underneath, these heavy-type words appeared: ’“Sorry you didn’t like our show, Mr. Day; but 17,196 Albanians howled their heads off. We’re holding Over for a Second fun filled week!” Day’s relations with Strand management have been friendly despite several strongly un¬ favorable reviews. He praised the theatre in another column for adhering to “conventional” rather than “suggested” copy on “Sex and the Single Girl”. . . . George Lourinia, manager, Fabian’s Mohawk Drive-In, and his wife, Mary, a cashier at the Strand, returned from a vacation at Pompona Beach, Fla. ATLANTA Miss Lynn Hunter has been named a I secretary at Embassy Pictures. . . . Edward Jackson, six, son of Mildred Jackson, United Artists, suffered a concussion when struck by an automobile; but is reported doing nicely. . . . Grace Bramblett, Paramount, has been appointed secretary to the southern division manager. . . . Condolences to Gordon Bradley, Paramount exchange, on the death of his mother. . . . Cecil F. Davis, Jr., has been appointed manager of the local branch of National Theatre Supply Company. Dennis P. Morton has been transferred from the St. Louis branch as his assistant. . . . New members of the local WOMPI are Bernice Fricks, Don Kay; Faye Harrell, Wil-Kin Theatres; and Sara Wingo, National Screen Service. . . . The WOMPI had its annual party and dinner at the Atlanta Variety Club. BUFFALO Charles Funk, in Buffalo for some six years as managing director of the Century, United Artists circuit house in downtown Buffalo, is leaving that post to take on the super¬ vision of 25 Skouras theatres, a division of UA Theatres. Funk will work out of New York home offices of United Artists Thea¬ tres, Inc. The theatres he will supervise are in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Westchester. Since migrating to Buffalo from Pittsburgh at age 21, Funk, from time to time, has su¬ pervised UA theatres in Pittsburgh, including the Penn. Funk is retaining his Cheektowaga, N. Y., residence where his mother, Mrs. Margaret Funk, is continuing to reside. Succeeding Funk as managing director of the Century is Carl E. Schaner, 28, who also hails from Pittsburgh, where he was as¬ sociated with United Artists Theatres. . . . Paul Grummitt has been elected president of Motion Picture Operators Local 233 at a meeting of the organization. Grummitt, who has been a member of the local for 35 years, currently is a projectionist at the Paramount in downtown Buffalo. He is taking [over the unexpired term of Frank Ostrowski, who resigned the presidency because of out¬ side interests. ... “A reliance on motion pic¬ tures is increasing on both the local and network level as too many comedies, westi terns, adventures, and variety programs fail to hold either audiences or sponsors for very long, while moives attract both,” said J. Don Schlaerth, radio and tv editor, in the Buffalo January 20, 1965 Evening News. Don said, “While there still are recent, quality Hollywood movies avail¬ able, prices continue to rise as the demand increases and supplies decrease. One of the pressures facing tv stations is what to do about the current crop of flickers, both foreign and domestic, that rely heavily on sex themes.”. . . Oral arguments were heard the other day in Buffalo by Supreme Court Jus¬ tice Reid S. Moule on the constitutionality of the Olean, N. Y., law licensing a tele¬ vision cable company. The Olean Television Cable Co. is seeking a declaratory judgment making illegal the $4,600 annual licensing fee for its operations. The city of Olean is re¬ sisting. The city claimed the company was unjustifiably in court before Justice Moule, who permitted both lawyers to file written arguments after he heard oral arguments. A decision is unlikely before next month. Earlier, Justice Alfred M. Kramer ruled the tv company’s amended complaint against the city was valid. . . . Broadcast Properties, Inc., headed by Alfred E. Anscombe, former chief barker of Tent 7, Variety Club of Buffalo, and George A. Wick, is in the pur¬ chasing group that has purchased the 11-story 800 West Ferry street apartment building for $700,000. The purchasing group is headed by Nelson W. Barrett. . . . Ken Gill, general manager of Melody Fair Theatre, Wurlitzer Park, North Tonowanda, and an officer in several other western New York companies, has been named executive vice-president and a director of Dynamic International, sound recording and motion picture company. CHICAGO 486 persons responded to the Golf Mill Theatre’s “Most Popular Movies of 1964 Con¬ test.” Theatre management offered 25 passes to the film, “Goodbye Charlie,” to the per¬ sons choosing the five most popular pictures shown at the house during the year. The contest closed Dec. 23, and none of the con¬ testants came up with the right answers which were, according to their popularity: “How the West Was Won,” “It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” “Tom Jones,” “Move Over Darling,” and “A Shot in the Dark.” Six winners were acclaimed, having picked four movies correctly and missing the fifth. After the contest ended, all newspapers car¬ ried seme of the foregoing information. Golf Mill serves free coffee to patrons every eve¬ ning in the luxury tv lounge. . . . Eleanor Keene, movie critic for Chicago Sun-Times, under the caption, “Don’t Look Back — Look Ahead,” made these predictions concerning motion pictures: “Nobody is going to see “John Goldfarb, Please Come Home,” not for a while at least. The one they’ll talk about early in the year will be “The Loved One.” The Academy Award will be handed to “My Fair Lady” in April, and to Rex Harrison, who played professor Higgins. “The Greatest Story Ever Told” will reach the screen. (In fact, the date has been set — It opens in March at Me Vickers.) It is apt to be the longest picture of the year, with the biggest cast, since there are 117 speaking roles. The great¬ est deluge of publicity will come when the cameras start rolling on “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” The most oversold picture of the year is likely to be “Harlow.” Julie Andrews, whose third film, “Sound of Music,” reaches the screen this spring, will be the one shiny new name added to the list of genuine (not publicity — touted) box-office stars. The Beatles (well, I certainly hope so) will make a new movie, and it will be just as much fun as “A Hard Day’s Night.” The worst picture of the year, and I am careful not to say the worst performance, will be starred in either by Susan Hayward, Kim Novak, Angie Dickinson, or Doris Day, It’s just that they are the kind of girls who draw that kind of script. Nobody will try again to cast Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in the same film, in spite of the boxoffice lure. The most engaging picture of the year will come as a surprise, be bright and unexpected. Possibly “The Great Race” or “Those Mar¬ velous Men in their Flying-Machines” The big ones — “Lord Jim,” “The Agony and the Ecstacy,” “The Sound of Music,” “In Harm’s Way,” “Ship of Fools,” and “Camelot” — will come along regularly. . . . “Lord Jim” will open at the Cinestage on a reserved seat basis beginning March 24. (Sheldon Smerling is the new owner of the Michael Todd and Cinestage.) “The Greatest Story Ever Told” will open in March at Me Vickers on a re¬ served seat engagement. . . . Anniece Moussa, 57, Warner Brothers auditor, died of a heart attack in the exchange offices here. . . . Oscar Beitz, veteran member of Motion Pic¬ ture Operators’ Union, Local 110, died in San Mateo, Calif. . . . Chicago’s amusement tax for 11 months totalled $307,574.64, representing an increase of $38,000 over the same period in 1963. . . .Sidney Harrison, 69, former owner of the Armitage theatre and manager of Goodman -Harris theatres, died in St. Joseph’s Hospital. He leaves surviving three sisters and a brother. ... A 50-year time capsule was buried in the front sidewalk of the new Oakbrook “to dramatize the tremendous growth that can be expected in that area during the comparatively brief span of 50 years. The bronze lid of the time capsule was inscribed with these words — “Not To Be Opened Until Christmas — 2014 A.D. — TIME CAPSULE com¬ memorating Opening Oakbrook Theatre — Placed Here December, 1984 A.D.” Enclosures in the capsule included press articles, tape recordings of Chicago radio personalities, naming the four recordings that “best marked our musical tastes in 1964.” . . . Annual stag event of Variety Club will be the installation of the club’s new slate of officers for 1965. Kermit Russell is the chairman of the affair. Irv Kupcinet will be emcee; Phyllis Diller will appear in person, as will stars of “Happy Medium.” The new slate of officers includes Victor Bernstein, chief barker; Arthur Hol¬ land, first assistant chief barker; Harry Lustgarten, second assistant chief barker; Harry Balaban, dough guy; George Regan, property master. CINCINNATI Robert Rehme, advertising and publicity manager, Cincinnati Theatres, and Kay Yazell, secretary for Tri-State Theatres Services, were married. ... St. Louis terri¬ tory, Continental Distributing, has been as Merchant Ads Are Making Big Money For Indoor and Outdoor Showmen Everywhere ! How About You ? ? ? Write For Free New Catalogue And Kit Packed Full Of Sales Aids. FiLmncK SPECIAL TRAILERS And remember . . . when you need the finest quality special trailers in the fastest possible time . . . order from Filmack. 1327 SO. WABASH CHICAGO 5. ILL. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 15