The Exhibitor (1966)

HOUSTON Aldo Vadali, Italian film producer, is mak¬ ing a survey of the Houston, Galveston, and NASA areas and will return later this month to film a documentary. . . . Plans for a second Variety Boys Club in Houston were an¬ nounced at the annual board of directors and election of officers. The new club will cost about $500,000. Money will be raised through contributions. New officers are C. W. (Bill) Weaver, president; Jack Bryant, first vice-president; Joe Polichino, treasurer; Mack Howard, secretary; and Eddy C. Scurlock, chairman of the board. . . . Boys attending the local showing of “Dracula, Prince of Darkness” and “The Plague of the Zombies” were offered “Dracula fangs” in order to fight back, and girls were told to defend themselves with “Zombie eyes,” given to them as they entered the theatre. The double horror bill had a multiple opening at five indoor and five d-i’s. . . . Tommie Reynolds, who produced “The Cowboy and the Champ” which was partially filmed in Houston and other Texas cities, and Fred Gipson, Texas author who has had several of his stories made into films by Walt Disney including “Old Yeller,” will combine talents to make a new film titled “The Million Dollar Goat.” Filming is expected to begin in April. JACKSONVILLE Freezing weather and hurricanes are the two manifestations of nature most dreaded by Floridians, and they are also the most costly in terms of economic loss. A cold wave, which dipped temperatures down to the lower 20’s, swept through the Florida penin¬ sula the night of Jan. 29 and virtually drove drive-in theatres out of business for several days. Indoor theatres, however, continued to operate with a normal amount of patronage in most cases. . . . Teen-age Robert Heekin, who is the nephew and namesake of Robert Heekin, local district supervisor of Florida State Theatres, was pictured in the Florida Times-Union while receiving the gift of a $50 share of Peninsular Life Insurance stock from James D. Renn, the firm’s vice-presi¬ dent. Young Robert, a student at Bishop Kenny High School, scored the highest mark in a test given to a group of Explorer Scouts by the insurance firm. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Heekin. . . . Barbara “Sunny” Greenwood, Universal booker and former local WOMPI president, had quite a struggle keeping her sunny disposition during a recent evening. Sunny jumped over a mud puddle and suffered a broken ankle. She is now hob¬ bling on crutches and is doomed to wear a heavy leg cast for the next eight or 10 weeks. . . . Here for conferences with Ed McLaughlin, Columbia manager, were Sam Galanty, Co¬ lumbia division manager from Washington, D. C., and Jerry Esbin, the firm’s manager of exchange operations from New York. MIAMI, FLA. The “Moment to Moment” world premiere at Wometco’s Carib, Miami, Miracle, and 163rd St. went over in a big way. Preceded by the state-wide appearances of star Sean Garrison and the selection of the “Moment to Moment” girl contest winners, by the time Garrison, Honor Blackman, and Mervyn LeRoy hit Miami, everyone knew that the entire state, and particularly south Florida, was “star-studded.” A luncheon at the Gov¬ ernors Club Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale was held for press and radio columnists of Ft. Lauderdale, Pompano, Hollywood, Boca Raton. The next day, Garrison made appearances at seven local radio stations. The day before the premiere, Garrison and the “Moment to Moment” girls met Miss Blackman and LeRoy when they arrived at Miami International Airport. Chuck Hall, Dade County Mayor, presented keys to the county, and all local television channels and newspapers had pho¬ tographers on hand. Mervyn LeRoy appeared on a taping for the popular Larry King television show while the others were inter¬ viewed by the Miami Herald and News columnists. Miss Blackman’s interview com¬ manded most of the Miami Herald women’s section, and the Miami News devoted a special section to the premiere. LeRoy made an appearance at Hialeah Race Track prior to an evening cocktail party at the Montmarte Hotel on Miami Beach, for press and radio. This was followed by additional radio ap¬ pearances. The day of the premiere itself began with a breakfast interview by the Miami Beach Sun amusements editor and continued on through a luncheon for outof-town press with taped television inter¬ views of the stars and LeRoy. A fashion show at Jordan-Marsh department store, us¬ ing the film’s wardrobe, and a police escort to the Miracle, Coral Gables, where the Mayor of that city presented the key to the city from the theatre stage, followed. From the Miracle, they all went to the Carib, Miami Beach, for additional presentation of keys and announcement and presentation of the “Moment to Moment” Girl contest win¬ ner. MEMPHIS Arkansas exhibition news is of closings. At El Dorado, Star Theatre has closed; White River Drive-In, Batesville, is closed; the same for Ozark Drive-In, Harrison; and Mrs. Jesse Plunk is closing the Pike until Feb. 11 for repairs and remodeling. . . . Starlight DriveIn, Owensboro, Ky., is closed until spring. . . . Miss Eva Caldwell, Metro-GoldwynMayer, who is to be married in March, was given a luncheon by Mrs. Peggy Hogan, 20th Century-Fox. Friends presented Miss Cladwell with a comedy-tragedy charm as the highlight of the social event. . . . Lois Evans, Film Transit, WOMPI president, had to cancel the Jan. 25 meeting of the organization, sched¬ uled at the Variety Club. An unprecedented snow storm made attendance impossible. . . . SEE THE STARS IN PERSON! ANN-MARGRET! ALEX CORD! RED BUTTONS! HONOR BLACKMAN! DENNIS WEAVER! And . . . producer MARTIN RACKIN and MISS AMERICA — DEBRA BRYANT ★ SEE $250,000 IN FASHIONS DESIGNED FROM HELEN ROSE ★ HEAR 4 TOP AD MEN ★ FROM MAJOR FILM COMPANIES SPEND AN EVENING ★ WITH THE STARS! a,. SEND IN YOUR HOTEL REQUIREMENTS AND CHECK FOR REGISTRATION TO ROBERT TANKERSLEY, WESTERN SERVICE & SUPPLY, 2100 STOUT ST., DENVER, COLO. 80205. FEES: MEN $30, LADIES $20 February 9, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 29