The Exhibitor (1965)

ALBANY The SW Strand, Albany; Fabian’s State in | Schenectady; and SW Troy, Troy, played “Special Roar Show Engagements” or Gover¬ nor Films’ “Carry On Cleo” and “Carry On Nurse.” . . . Kallet’s Olympic, Utica, opened an engagement of 20th-Fox’s “Those Magnifi¬ cent Men In Their Flying Machines,” the theatre being open for sale of non-reserved seat tickets one hour before screenings. . . . Harold de Graw, owner, Palace, Oneonta, fixed student discount price of $1.25 for Warners’ “La Boheme.” . . . Mei Mei Quong was in beating the drums for Seven Arts’ “The Face Of Fu Manchu.” . . . Papayanakos’ i Gralyn, Gouverneur, held its annual Hallo¬ we’en bill in cooperation with the fire and police departments. A parade was held. . . . Claude Watkings, Strand, and Arthur Deitz, Palace, represented Local 324 at the recent fall conference of New York State Projectionists in Syracuse. BUFFALO John G. Chinnell, manager, Buffalo branch 1 of Buena Vista, is back at his desk after a trip to the west coast to attend the meeting of BV’s sales, advertising, and promotion forces at the Walt Disney studios in Burbank. The week’s conferences marked the 11th anniver¬ sary of the Disney distribution subsidiary. . . . There were special Hallowe’en treats at the Aero, Buffalo, East and West Twins, Lakeshore, Park, Sheridan, and Star drive-ins. It was free coffee and doughnuts and the Broadway out-doorer put on a gala Hallo¬ we’en dusk to dawn show, continuous from 7 p.m. until dawn, and this drive-in also gave patrons free coffee and doughnuts and offered a program of four big features in color. A ; large number of Buffalo out-doorers now are offering three features on each program change. Others offering free coffee and dough¬ nuts were the Wehrle, Young Street, and Boulevard. . . . Jerry Westergren, managing director, Colvin, has started a Doris-For-ADay Look-Alike contest in connection with “Do Not Disturb,” which starts an exclusive run at the Colvin on Dec. 22. The contest is getting daily plugs on WKBW-TV, is being cross plugged in four of the local Dipson theatres, and there are special lobby displays ' in the same houses. Westergren has also planted posters in a large number of beauty ■ shops in and around Buffalo and is working on a number of other tie-ups. The contest is tied in with the international 20th Century-Fox competition, with such prizes as an all ex¬ pense jet trip to Hollywood to attend the world premiere of the new Doris Day laugh hit, take part in the search for 50 Doris Day look-alikes, stop at the new Continental Hotel, have an opportunity to win a woolen travel ensemble by Bardley County Clothes, and many more prizes, including a chance to appear in Doris Day’s next Fox produc¬ tion. . . .Fred Keller reports excellent business at his recently opened redecorated and refur¬ bished Glen Art, Williamsville, with “The Pawnbroker” as the inaugural attraction. Paul Keller, newly named manager of the house, says the changes in the theatre have resulted in a house second to none in the area, and he emphasizes that it is the only theatre in upper New York state that does not serve popcorn, pop, or candy. “This may come,” he says, “as a disappointment to some former patrons of the Glen, but I think the majority of adult filmgoers will welcome the opportun¬ ity to watch a movie minus the distraction of popcorn munching and candy paper crackling. Besides, what other theatre in the area offers demitasse coffee served with a smile by an attractive hostess who is also a leading young painter, Miss Dorothy Schmitt?”. . . . Joan Crawford of screen fame, who also is a mem¬ ber of the board of directors of the Pepsi¬ Cola Company, was in Rochester to attend the opening of the new Pepsi plant there. By official proclamation, it was Joan Crawford Day in Kodak Town. This was Joan’s second visit to Rochester within recent years. She received a George Eastman Award in 1957. Joan said that among her coming up plans is a show with Sammy Davis in Madison Square Garden Nov. 14 to aid U.S.O. activities in South Viet Nam. “We plan to fill the Gar¬ den,” vowed Joan. . . . Bill Laney, general manager, Jo-Mor Theatres, Rochester, an¬ nounces that the Christmas attraction at both the Towne and Stoneridge will be “Thunderball,” the new James Bond story, starring Sean Connery. Bill is Buffalo’s gift to the Roches¬ ter theatre world. He is former managing di¬ rector of the Teck, Loew first run in down¬ town Buffalo. . . . Harold Lloyd, film come¬ dy’s innovator of horn-rimmed glasses and the scholarly-look approach to the daredevil gag, was in Rochester as the guest of the George Eastman House to open a series of his old films and accept the gift of one of his early films, “Luke’s Double,” a 1916 come¬ dy, acquired by Eastman House from France and presented to Lloyd for his collection. He also was given an ancient 28mm projector to screen it. Lloyd arrived in Rochester from Washington, where he received, the highest honor of the Masonic order the 33rd De¬ gree. . . . Carl E. Schaner, managing director, Century, announces that the annual Down¬ town Fashion Show, sponsored by the Cour¬ ier-Express and the Retail Merchants Asso¬ ciation, will be held on the Century stage Nov. 18-20, in the morning. . . . Joseph Gar¬ vey, managing director, Schine Granada, an¬ nounces reserved seats are now on sale at the box office or by mail for the showings of “The Agony and the Ecstacy,” which opens Dec. 23. CHARLOTTE The Skyview Drive-In, Charlotte, was broken into, and an undetermined amount of money stolen from the cigarette machines. A hole was punched through the office safe, but the would-be yeggs failed to gain entry. CHICAGO Rolf W. Brandis has been named vicepresident and general manager, television division, of the Fred A. Niles Communica¬ tions Centers, Inc., Chicago, New York, and Hollywood. The official announcement of the appointment was made by Fred A. Niles, president of the commercial and industrial motion picture studio. Brandis comes to the Niles’ studios after 10 years as vice-president and radio-tv director of Edward H. Weiss and Company, Chicago advertising agency Tent 26 of Variety Club of Illinois holds a membership meeting at the Pick-Congress Hotel on Nov. 26. A free buffet dinner will be served. The nominating committee will present its slate of officers for 1966, with nominations to be made from the floor. . . . Mrs. Edna Rosewell, 80, former silent screen actress, died in her home here. She appeared under the name of Edna Mae in movies with Mary Pickford and played the lead role in “The Princess” on Broadway in 1912. She worked for many years at the S. and A. Studios and Monarch Film Studios in Chicago. She leaves surviving five sons and 15 grand¬ children. . . . Everett F. Wagner, president of Bell and Howell Co., announces two execu¬ tive promotions: Patrick F. Cusack named manager of manufacturing and engineering, and Kenneth F. Kriesel manager of manu¬ facturing. . . .Joe Swedie, long-time friend of Variety Club members, who has devoted his life to entertaining children at La Rabida Sanatarium and other hospitals, is himself hospitalized at Little Company of Mary. “Get well” wishes are in order. . . . Rosemary Forsythe did the press rounds with Henry Wilcoxon, film veteran, on behalf of the midNovember opening of “The War Lord” at the Roosevelt. Stuart Whitman also checked in for a press stay. Whitman exchanged ideas with teenagers at a press conference in the Little Theatre above the Chicago. . . . Advance sales are underway for B and K closedcircuit telecast of the Cassius Clay-Floyd Patterson heavyweight championship fight Nov. 22, set for the Uptown, Varsity, Maryland, and Cen¬ tral Park theatres. Tickets are available at all loop B and K theatres and most of their neighborhood houses at $5, tax included. . . . Readers of Chicago’s American are challenged to identify photos of four sculptured heads, now gracing a satire theatre on Wells street, which originally were installed on the de¬ molished Garrick theatre. The contest has been given the name — “The Great Stone Mystery.” Even the American’s editors were unable to learn definitely whom the sculp¬ ture represents. DALLAS Lynn Bari is scheduled to be in Dallas for two days in two performances of “Barefoot in the Park.” Miss Bari has appeared in more than 80 motion pictures. Her first motion pic¬ ture was “Dancing Lady,” with Fred Astaire and Joan Crawford. . . . Stuart Whitman flew into Dallas from the west coast to begin a tour in behalf of “The Sands of Kalahari,” due for a multiple opening in Dallas and Fort Worth on Nov. 10. . . . Comedian George Jessel, toastmaster general, was to be guest of honor at the annual donor luncheon of the City of Hope Dallas Save-A-Life League in the Sheraton Dallas Hotel. . . . Mr. Peppermint, who conducts a kiddie show on WFAA-TV, appeared at the Ridglea and Tower in Fort Worth, and the Arlington in Arlington for his big Halloween cartoon party. Admission was by two seals from Ray-O-Vac flashlight bat¬ tery cartons. Valuable door prizes were given at each theatre to the youngsters, including portable tv sets, portable typewriters, tran¬ sistor radios, toys, etc. . . . “The Agony and the Ecstacy” has been booked to open here at the Tower on Jan. 27 as a road show picture with reserved seats and 10 perform¬ ances a week, with matinees on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. The film is also scheduled to open in Houston at about the same time. . . . The Buckner Blvd., Chalk Hill, and Denton Road D-I’s staged a spook frolic and free weiner roast as a pre-Halloween special. ... A 1,400 car capacity d-i will be constructed on a 25 acre tract of land in the west side of Fort Worth. The Dallas zone office of Stanley Warner Theatres, Inc., in association with W. E. Hilton, has purchased the site, which will increase the circuit’s operations to 27 in Texas. Two other theatres in the state are under construction with several others in the planning stage. Plans call for the d-i to be equipped with the latest sound and projection equipment, snack bar designed for rapid service, and individual car speakers. The sound system is to be designed so that the sound can be received through car radios. . . . “Red Line 7000,” a story of auto racing, Paramount’s Howard Hawks production, is scheduled for multiple openings on Dec. 2 in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. . . . The local boxoffice success November 10, 1965 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 31