The Exhibitor (1966)

of the 990-seat Eastwood, East Hartford, pre¬ paratory to the subsequent-run going first-run. The move will reduce seating capacity to 850. . . , Bob Carney, Stanley Warner Strand, pre¬ viewed MGM’s “Dr. Zhivago” for opinionmakers prior to the May 25 bow. ... New Haven Drive-In Theatres interests reopened the New Haven, Post and Summitt Drive-Ins for the season. . . . General Ginema’s Milford Cinema, Connecticut Post Shopping Plaza, continues its “Bargain Matinees” on Tuesdays and Thursdays charging only 50 cents for adults. ... In Springfield, Mass., Irwin Cohen has reopened the long-shuttered Poll, under lease, naming it the Poli Cinema and hosting the western Massachusetts premiere of Em¬ bassy’s “The Oscar.” ... In Worcester, Mass., John P. Lowe, Redstone Theatres’ district manager, apologetically advertised, “Debbie, Just One More Week!” in announcing another holdover of Columbia’s “The Silencers,” push¬ ing back MGM’s “The Singing Nun” at the deluxe Cinema 1. . . . Warners’ “Harper” will have its Connecticut premiere at the Central, Hartford, following current long-run engage CLARK TRANSFER, INC. Terminals: • BOSTON, MASS. 818 Albany Street, Roxbury 617-268-4682 • NEW YORK, N. Y. 809 W. 46th Street 212-246-0815 • NORFOLK, VA. 316 South Main Street 703-545-3832 • PHILADELPHIA, PA. (Executive Offices) 829 North 29th Street 215-232-3100 • RICHMOND, VA. 312 South 17th Street 703-648-6083 • TAMAQUA (Hometown), PA. RD #2 717-668-1727 • WASHINGTON, D. C. 3194 Bladensburg Road, N.E. 202-526-4800 PROGRESSIVE ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION CO. INC. 240 N. 13th St. • PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19107 35 Years of Theatre Construction and Maintenance BLUmBERG BROS., Inc. C'OeAAfUiuUf ^ the. ^Iteat/ie \V.U>NUT 5-7240-41 1305-07 VINE STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19107 ment of MGM’s “A Patch of Blue.” Latter has broken a 41 -year house record. . . . Norman Pader, MGM home office promotion staff, con¬ cluded meetings with F. E. Ferguson and Rob¬ ert E. Carney on May 25 Connecticut premiere of “Dr. Zhivago” at the Bailey Theatres’ Whalley. New Haven, and the Stanley Warner Strand, Hartford. . . . Claudia Martin, star of A-I’s “Ghost in the Invisible Bikini,” has con¬ cluded a New England press-radio-tv interview tour and returned to Los Angeles. . . . RKO General, owner-operator of WHCT-TV (chan¬ nel 18), Hartford’s over-the-air STV (sub¬ scription television) experiment, has an¬ nounced a viewer vacation “gift” for summer months. “Many families are planning to be away on vacation for two weeks or longer be¬ ginning with June through September,” says a station announcement. “If your family is among them and you do not expect to be watching Subscription TV during some weeks within these months, we will be happy to suspend your service temporarily for either a two week, three week, or four week period. You will not be charged any rental fee as long as you advise us in advance and do not view any Subscription TV programs.” ORLEANS Eileen Kaiser, United Artists; and Genevieve Vedros, Paramount Gulf Theatres, were in¬ ducted into the local WOMPI. . . . The WOMPI held their first dance in a long while at ball room of Buds Flower Shop. Carl Heine, Jr., Universal booking section, created the set¬ ting for the affair. . . . Mrs. Billie Parker re¬ sumed operation of the Hawkins, Newellton, La., which was closed for several months. . . . Frank Patterson reopened the De Soto DriveIn, Mansfield, La., which had been closed for the winter. . . . George Pabst and wife returned to his Blue Ribbon Pictures’ office after at¬ tending the Arkansas Theatre Owners con¬ vention. . . . Robert B. Steuer, executive vice president. Cinema Distributors of America, returned from Hollywood. ... A recent visitor to Don Kay Film Enterprises was Harry Goldstone, Goldstone Film Enterprises, New York. . . . MGM’s “The Singing Nun” opened Gulf States Theatres’ newest house, the Shreve City Cinema, located in the Shreve City Shopping Center, Shreveport, La. A large gathering of industryites, and interested residents were in attendance. PHILADELPHIA Warner Brothers held a meeting for man¬ agers of the eastern division at the Warwick Hotel under the direction of Jules Lapidus, who was in from the home office. . . . MGM’s Frank Jelenko was in Hahnemann Hospital.. . . . Stanley Kositsky, United Artists, was in northern division of Einstein Medical Genter. . . . George Schwartz announced that George Perry, formerly manager of Schine’s Strand, Ogdensburg, N.Y., is now managing the Beach, Atlantic City, N.J. SAN ANTONIO A gunman robbed the boxoffice of the Towne Twin d-i and apparently fled on a motorcycle. The amount of money stolen was not immediately revealed. Cashier David Lytle said the robber walked up to the boxoffice, displayed a pistol, and ordered, “Put the money in the bag and don’t be a hero.” Lytle scooped some paper money into a brown paper bag and handed it to him. The gunman, who was wearing a black leather jacket and boots, ran into a dark field. Seconds later, Lytle heard a motorcycle start in that direction. . . . Trinity Baptist Church’s Chapel Choir sponsored a special showing of “The Sound of Music.” Tickets were priced at $1.25 per person, and all proceeds will be used to finance the choir’s summer mission trip to California. . . . Local architect Thomas Ryan was to lecture on “The Cinema as an Art Form” in the Incarnate Word College Auditorium. . . . Conrad Brady, executive of the Interstate Theatre circuit with headquarters in Dallas, was a recent visitor in the city at the San Antonio Interstate city office. . . . The Cinema Arts Theatres spon¬ sored the telecast of the news on KONO-TV immediately following the telecast of the Academy Awards. Tommy Reynolds, well known in local television and film circles, served as commentator and announced the dates of several of the Oscar winners to play the CAT circuit houses. “Dr. Zhivago” has been booked for a road show engagement at the Woodlawn, opening June 10. Oscar winner “Darling” has also been dated at the Woodlawn. “A Patch of Blue” is currently at the circuit’s Laurel. . . . The Towne Twin, San Pedro, and Bandera Road d-i’s booked for im¬ mediate showing the double bill of “Cat Bal¬ lou” and “Ship of Fools,” both with Lee Mar¬ vin, winner of the Oscar for the best actor. . . . The piano team of Ferrante and Teicher have arranged and recorded the themes of more Hollywood pictures than any other group of instrumentalists. The piano players will be in the city on May 7 to play at Sams Memorial Center on the Trinity University campus. . . . Frederic C. Bellinger, travel tour conductor of the Burton Holmes organization, appeared on stage of the Majestic in conjunction with the two showings of “The Grand Tour.” . . . Pa¬ trons attending the Broadway where the Walt Disney double bill of “The Ugly Dachshund” and “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Bear Tree” is showing have an extra offer from Eric Brendler, manager. To the first 500 patrons attending the showing every day, one can of Kal Kan cat and dog food is being given away free. . . . The best “David Niven moustache” in San Antonio is in line to receive a large amount of prize money at North Star Cinema I. In conjunction with the showing of “Where the Spies Are,” the theatre is sponsoring a contest with a total of $110 in prizes. Each night, the audience will pick the person with the best moustache of the type worn by Niven in the picture, and this man will receive a $10 prize. On the seventh night, the six winners will be asked to return, and a panel of three judges will choose the best of the six for a $50 award. . . . Roy Ragsdale has purchased the Moon-Glo d-i. Junction, Tex., where he al¬ ready operates the indoor Texan. . . . W. J. Patton has taken over the operation of the Carlile, Dimmitt, Tex. Booking will be done by the Texas Theatre Service. . . . Mrs. Sam Covey was to reopen the Mertzon d-i, Mertzon, Tex., prior to May 1. The d-i has been closed since 1961. . . . The Majestic, Abilene, Tex., has been temporarily closed by Bob Euler for remodeling. ... A wind storm has damaged the screen tower of the Sunset d-i. Earth, Tex., operated by E. T. Borum. SEATTLE Sal Gandia is in Seattle from MGM’s branch operations department at the home office. . . . Terry Crawford, formerly United Artists booker in the Seattle branch, is out of the service and is now the new salesman for UA in Portland. 22 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR May n, 1966