The Exhibitor (1965)

world premiere of the film have been dropped for unannounced reasons. ... It seemed like old times at the Majestic, according to Lynn Krueger, manager, when patrons lined up on both sides of the box office to purchase tickets to see “Goldfinger” on Saturday night. . . . George A. Kaczmar, manager, neighbor¬ hood Josephine, operated by Cinema Arts Theatres, staged a novel promotional cam¬ paign in conjunction with the showing of “Carry On Spying.” He had the girl ticket sellers and concession stand operators, and his male ushers dressed up. The girls wore similar costumes to the star in the picture, with gun and holster at their sides, and the boys had bright red fez hats. Some 1,000 imprinted balloons were obtained. 300 were let go, some containing passes to see the film. Inside the lobby, special displays also called attention to the film. The personnel also handed out cards throughout the city. . . . The State, Atlanta, Tex., is being reopened by Laura Foster. The house was closed several months when it was swept by fire. It was previously operated by Mel Barker. . . . Plans are being made for a $200,000 theatre seating about 1,000 persons in the Northgate Shopping Center in El Paso, Tex. . . . Holly¬ wood actress Lucille Ball will be the guest of honor at the 11th annual Headliners Club awards party to be held in Austin, Tex., on Feb. 6. Charles E. Green, editor of the Austin CLARK TRANSFER INC. 829 N. 29th St. Philadelphia, Pa. 19130 CEnter 2-3100 1638 Third St., N.E. Washington, D. C. 20002 DUpont 7-7200 PROGRESSIVE ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION CO. INC. 240 N. 13th ST. • PHILADELPHIA 7. PA. 35 Years of Theatre Construction and Maintenance This is the newly renovated building of Nathan Milgram Buying and Booking Service on the northeast corner of 13th and Vine streets, Philadelphia. On the right, Milgram is seen in his new office. American-Statesmen and chairman of the Headliners Club’s invitations committee, said Miss Ball will be honored for “her many contributions to the nation’s entertainment.” . . . Robert Taylor was here on a promotion tour for “The Night Walker” and was met at the airport by the Red Carpet visiting committee, George Watson, city manager for Interstate Theatres, and Lynn Krueger, man¬ ager of the Majestic where the film is sched¬ uled to open on Jan. 29. Taylor, when asked about the recent flood of so-called “adult” movies, said he was firmly opposed to gov¬ ernmental censorship but that the industry might do a better job keeping its own house clean. . . . Mrs. Violet Nicholson was winner of the recent contest co-sponsored by the Express and News, the French Quarter Apart¬ ment, and the Woodlawn. The contest was held in conjunction with the showing of “Why Bother To Knock.” The winner re¬ ceived $100 in cash and a month’s free rent in a deluxe fiumished apartment for draw¬ ing a key most closely resembling one locked in a vault at a local bank. . . . Bill Boren will close his Palace and Ritz in Memphis, Tex., and will convert the buildings to rental property. He will continue the operation of the Tower D-I in that city. SEATTLE A major production, to star Elizabeth Ash¬ ley and Sidney Poitier, will be filmed in Seattle starting somewhere around mid-May. The announcement was made by writer Stir¬ ling Silliphant and producer Stephen Alexan¬ der, who were in town checking location sites. Tentatively titled “A Voice on the Wind,” the picture wil be produced for re¬ lease by Paramount. . . . Dave Dunkle is leaving his post as sales manager for 20thFox here in Seattle for a spot with Para¬ mount in Portland. . . . Harold Harden, United Artists office manager, is recovering from surgery at Swedish Hospital. . . . Sharon Crawford, formerly with the office staff of Metro, had a baby girl recently. Her husband, Terry, was a United Artists booker and is now in the Navy. . . . Estelle Shilferth is re¬ cuperating at home after surgery and is ex¬ pected to return to MGM around Feb. WASHINGTON, D. C. Fred Sapperstein, Columbia branch man¬ ager, announced that “First Men In The Moon” has been booked with a noteable cam¬ paign in 22 strategically placed theatres in the metropolitan area. Two Writers Eye Film Sex; Vote Against Censorship DETROIT — Two movie writers came out the same day with their views on sex in current product. One was Louis Cook, Detroit Free Press, and the other Alexander Walker, London Express. Separated by nearly four thousand miles, they reached similar con¬ clusions. Cook begins, “The English language movie¬ makers have discovered sex and are having more fun with it than a kid with a new chemistry set.” He points out the preponderant number of attractions over the holidays that belabored sex. “It would be regrettable if more censor¬ ship were brought to bear. . . . As practiced, censorship has been crazy,” and proceeds with ludicrous examples. He remarks on popular imported films such as “La Dolce Vita” and feels American efforts to meet the “competition” distressing. Some choice vignettes: “There have been a number of assaults on Doris Day’s virtue . . . (her) brittle comedies have had wide acceptance, but their central theme is still essentially locker-room — will she or won’t she?” “Shirley MacLaine has run around in her BVD’s in so many movies, she must have permanent goose pimples . . . (she) is an appealing and competent actress, but in the altogether she has the appeal of a cold, rare hamburger.” On sex in “Goldfinger”: “The general effect is no more likely to arouse sexual passion than it is to result in a large number of people driving cars which have machine guns mounted in their front fenders.” Walker’s opening sentence: “It seems that Hollywood has made a painful discovery about sex. It has learned to its cost that being outspoken is not the same as being mature about it.” He continued, “I resent the idea of enforcing moral standards by means of a blacklist and commercial coercion. By going all out for frankness, American film makers generally ended up with vulgarity. Not so easily can you wipe out the habits of decades spent in falsifying life in deference to hypo¬ critical censorship. You can’t draw in sophis¬ tication with just one deep breath.” Finally, compare Walker’s opening sentence with Cook’s closing one: “American films will mature as far as sex is concerned, and it doesn’t do any harm to nudge them toward it. But hitting them with a ball bat is not going to get us better movies.” 18 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR January 27, 1965