The Exhibitor (1965)

NEWS CAPSULES vl/ FILM FAMILY /iN ALBUM FORMS FOR THIS PAGE CLOSED BROADWAY AT 5 P.M. ON MON., MAY 3 $ \ GROSSES Diamond Rings Abe Dickstein, 20th Century-Fox assistant general sales manager, and Mi's. Dickstein announced the engagement of their daughter, Francine Phyllis, to Ronald E. Abelson, vicepresident of Consolidated Vending Corpora¬ tion. The engagement of Virginia Moore to Paul J. Greenhalgh, Jr., son of the late Paul J. Greenhalgh, former general manager, MO¬ TION PICTURE EXHIBITOR, and Mrs. Helen Greenhalgh, was announced. Young Green¬ halgh is associated with I.B.M. Carol Wiener, secretary to Herman Kass, Uni¬ versal Pictures executive in charge of national exploitation, announced her engagement to Arnold Hordish, a Wall Street broker. Obituaries Noah Jackson Frye, Jr., 50, Charlotte, for the past 14 years a booker for Stewart-Everett Theatres, died. Surviving are his wife, two daughters, two sons, his mother, a sister, and a brother. Max Heiber, father of Ed Heiber, American International Pictures’ eastern division sales manager, died in Toronto. He is survived by three sons and four daughters. "I COULDN'T CARE LESS" One overly bright young exhibitor, whose answer when informed that he was creat¬ ing havoc in a first-run bidding situation by refusing to cooperate in any way with his fellow theatre operators was “I couldn't care less,” has come up with a new wrinkle. He is now asking for exclusive bidding rights on second run showings. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. T-L Gross Holds Steady; Net Income Dips Slightly NEW YORK — Although gross revenues from the Trans-Lux Corporation’s communica¬ tions services and entertainment activities for the quarter ended March 31 both closely ap¬ proximated those of a year earlier, Percival E. Furber, chairman, told stockholders at their annual meeting that net income, after taxes, was $115,615, or 16 cents per share on the 718,037 common shares currently outstanding, as against 1964 first quarter earnings of $142,946, or 20 cents a share. In commenting on results for the period, Furber said that in the field of financial com¬ munications, which includes stock ticker projectors, Dow Jones news ticker projectors and closed -circuit television units, the com¬ pany continues to operate at a high level. Richard Brandt, president, told stockholders that, on the basis of theatre grosses since its initial showing in New York City on March 31 following a favorable ruling by the U. S. Supreme Court, it is anticipated that the con¬ troversial Danish film, “A Stranger Knocks,” should achieve one of the largest grosses in the company’s history and should contribute substantially to 1965 earnings. Brandt further reported that, in addition to the new Trans-Lux Reisterstown Plaza The¬ atre scheduled to be opened in suburban Baltimore’s Reisterstown Plaza Shopping Cen¬ ter on June 30, negotiations currently are under way for the establishment of additional theatres in other strategically located shopping centers. Post-Holiday Slump NEW YORK — With few exceptions, the Broadway first runs were hit in a post-holiday slump. “OPERATION CROSSBOW” (MGM). Radio City Music Hall, with usual stage show, re¬ ported $99,000 for Thursday through Sunday, with the fifth week sure of $145,000. “IN HARM’S WAY” (Paramount). DeMille registered a fourth week total of $16,500. “THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD” (UA). Warner Cinerama claimed $37,927 for the 11th week. “NOBODY WAVED GOODBYE” (Cinema V). Loew’s Capitol stated the second and final week was $11,000. “LORD JIM” (Columbia). Loew’s State with reserved seat policy, did $34,000 on the 10th week. “THE TRAIN” (UA). Astor reported $19,000 for the seventh week. “MASQUERADE” (UA). Victoria opened to $15,000 for the first week. “MY FAIR LADY” (Warners). Criterion, with reserved seat policy, claimed $59,300 for the 28th week. “DEAR HEART” (Warners). RKO Palace stated the opening week was $13,000. “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” (20-Fox). Rivoli stated the ninth week was $48,383 on hard ticket policy. Goodman Quits Fox Post NEW YORK — Abe Goodman has resigned his position as advertising director of 20th Century-Fox, effective May 7, it was an¬ nounced with regret by Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., vice-president and director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation. Goodman, who has served as advertising director for the past nine years, will announce his future plans shortly. Prior to his promotion as advertising di¬ rector in 1956, Goodman held several key advertising posts with 20th-Fox, and also engaged in exhibition exploitation for sev¬ eral theatre circuits. NGC Earnings Rise NEW YORK — Eugene Klein, president, Na¬ tional General Corporation, reported that the company’s net operating income rose to about $1,600,000 or 47 cents a share on revenue of $32,500,000 in the first half year ended March 22. This compares with net operating income of $1,088,437 or 30 cents a share on revenue totaling $31,067,425 for the first half of the previous year. Boys' Club Honors DufFus RICHMOND, Va. — Carlton Duffus, Ash¬ land, Va., exhibitor and executive secretary of the Virginia Motion Picture Theatre As¬ sociation, was reelected chairman of the board i of the Boys’ Club of Richmond, Va., and | awarded the “Golden Man and Boy,” the highest award a local club can give for extraordinary service to youth. Seymour Poe, third from left, 20th Century-Fox executive vice-president, recently announced at a New York press conference that the company had become a participating sponsor on two nationally tele¬ vised programs, ABC-TV’s “Major League Championship Baseball” and “Nightlife.” Also at the conference were Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., 20th-Fox vice-president and director of advertising, publicity, and exploitation; Joseph M. Sugar, 20th-Fox vice-president in charge of domestic sales; and Tom Moore, ABC-TV president. 4 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR May 5, 1965