The Exhibitor (1966)

by Joanne Starr, former manager, Colony, Winter Park. Ben moved into another theatri¬ cal management job at Hoboken, N. J. . . . Florida exhibitors were represented at the Rome, Italy, first showing of 20th CenturyFox’s “The Bible ’ by Louis J. Finske, presi¬ dent of Florida State Theatres, and Sheldon Mandell, head of Mandell Theatres, both of this city. . . . John Patno, Jr., manager, Florida State Theatres’ Sheridan, Miami Beach, has sold the opening night of “Khartoum” to the Miami Beach Police Athletic League for a benefit performance. . . . Silver Springs, the famous entertainment complex operated by Florida State Theatres, has acquired 17 new glass bottom boats for cruising along the Silver River during the coming summer tourist sea¬ son. . . . Harry Dale’s Lake, Lake Butler, was completely destroyed by fire. . . . The Ace, Miami, which Wometco has operated for many years as a Negro-patronage house, closed its doors on May 1. . . . Carlton J. Carter, who operates the local Airbase and Ribault drive-in theatres, has acquired the Capri, Sylvester. Ga., from O. G. Luke. Until recently, the Capri had been a unit of Stein Theatres. . . . Here briefly while en route to the Motion Picture Exhibitors of Florida convention at the Grand Bahama Hotel in Nassau, BWI, May 12-15, were Lou Formato, MGM general sales man¬ ager from New York, and Fred Hull, MGM division manager from Dallas and former local MGM branch manager. . . . Marty Shearn, manager, downtown Center, has gained the wide support of church groups for distributing religious discount coupons for his first run re¬ issue of “The Ten Commandments,” begin¬ ning May 26. . . . W. A. “Bill” McClure, local Universal manager, and Pete Rosian, division manager from Cleveland, left here for confer¬ ences with leading theatre circuit leaders in the Miami area. . . . The Goulds, Goulds, Fla., formerly operated by Jules Gessin, has been reopened by Gerald Busch and the Enterprise Service of this city is handling the theatre bookings. . . . Johnny Westervelt is a new as¬ sistant shipper at Warner Bros., succeeding Dan Wall, who resigned. . . . Sidney Glazier of New York, who conceived and produced “The Eleanor Roosevelt Story,” which won the 1966 Academy Award as the year’s best documentary full-length feature, came here for conferences with Arvin K. Rothschild, presi¬ dent of Continental Enterprises, about a pos¬ sible association in the production of several films that Glazier is now planning. MIAMI, FLA. Rand Bruc, Inc., has leased three theatres to Homestead Theatre Gorporation, headed by Alexander Weinstock. Clyde B. Chambers is president of Rand Bruc. As part of the con¬ sideration for the leasing of the Premier, Ace, and Breezeway Drive-In, the Palm, also in the Homestead, Fla. area, will be closed. In a separate agreement, Homestead has given Berio Vending exclusive right to sell candy, popcorn, ice cream, and food at the three theatres. . . . Universal’s “Johnny Tiger” had a gala world premiere in Orlando at the Parkwood Cinema, near where it was filmed. . . . Jeri Louise and Jacquelyn Waxenberg, grand¬ daughters of Col. Mitchell Wolfson, president, Wometco Enterprises, Inc., shared their birth¬ day party with youngsters of the Kendall Chil¬ dren’s Home when the latter were their guests at a party at the Parkway Theatre. The girls are daughters of Jack Waxenberg, Wometco vice-president, and Frances Samet, Col. Wolfson’s only daughter. . . . Mrs. Mitchell Wolfson was named a director of the National Council for Community Services to Interna¬ tional Visitors. Mrs. Wolfson is one of 1 1 vol¬ unteers nationally elected to the board and will serve a three-year term. . . . Bird Bowl, South Dade County’s busiest bowling alley, was the scene of a “Blindfold” bowling tour¬ nament on Friday, May 13, in connection with the showing of “lllindfold” at major Wometco theatres one week later. Jack Mitchell, Wo¬ metco publicist, arranged the tie-up. . . . MEMPHIS As a part of the general concern over the type movies shown in Memphis, a group of 20 women of St. Louis Catholic Church have been publishing “A Movie Guide for Memphis.” Presently, the ladies are issuing from 2,000 to 5,000 copies. The cost is $1.25 a hundred copies, and the group hopes to lower this price when many organized groups subscribe for their memberships. A campaign is underway to have Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish or¬ ganizations subscribe to “A Movie Guide for Memphis.” The classifications from National Catholic Film Office, National Board of Film Estimates (Green Sheet), and Parents’ Maga¬ zine are used. . . . The Better Films Council chose “The Great Race” as the Best-FamilyFilm for April and “Madame X” as the BestAdult-Film. . . . W. F. Ruffin, Jr., announces that the Ritz, Hickman, Ky., closed. . . . Ken Theatre, Marshall, Ark., has closed. . . . Variety Club’s former chief Memphis barker Fred Gattas and the 18-person local delegation re¬ turned home to express praise for the London convention. Mrs. Virginia Hunt, club secretary, remained abroad to visit her cousin in Stutt¬ gart, Germany. ... “A Patch of Blue,” sched¬ uled for a long run at Plaza, received a tre¬ mendous boost the second day of showing when six robed Ku Klux Klansmen staged a demon¬ stration of protest in front of the large sub¬ urban theatre. Ken Goderre, manager, was undisturbed by the demonstration. Later he stated: “As long as the Klansmen march on the .sidewalk instead of under our marquee, I have no objections, but if they come under our marquee things will get a bit sticky.” . . . Laco Drive-In, Lexington, Tenn., reopened, as did Mena Drive-In, Mena, Ark. The Lyric, Mena, closed. In Arkansas at Forrest City, Skyway Drive-In reopened. At Corning, 67 Drive-In reopened. At Fort Chaffee, Fort Chaffee began operation. . . . Mrs. Marianne Bartlett, 20thFox, became president of the local WOMPI chapter at the April meeting. She succeeded Miss Lois Evans, Film Transit. Miss Lois Boyd, Film Transit, was elected first vice-president; Mrs. Margaret Irby, second vice-president; Mrs. Mary Katherine Baker, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Martha Sappington, recording secretary; and Miss Jessie Ray Lucy, treasurer. Miss Evans announced that $36.25 was made at a recent rummage sale, and $60.25 on the Academy Award promotion. The local chapter voted to participate in the fur stole promotion to supplement the international treasury, and to make a donation toward prizes for the Film Row Golf Tournament. The sum of $50 was voted for Little City for retarded children. Plans were made for the annual “Boss-of-the Year” banquet on June 28. . . . Bel Air DriveIn, Centerville, Tenn., opened. Exhibitors’ Ser¬ vices announces that Midway Drive-In, Cam¬ den, Tenn., reopened, and Mrs. Fred Neblick has requested Film Transit to discontinue ser¬ vices to A & T Theatre, Vandervoort, Ark. NEW HAVEN-HARTFORD Franklin E. Ferguson, general manager, Bai¬ ley Theatres, New Haven, has lined up Ham¬ den Rotary Club sponsorship of opening Whalley performance of MGM’s “Dr. Zhivago” May 25. . . . Mrs. Helen Greenway, widow of Fred R. Greenway, manager of Loew’s Palace, Hartford, for many years, underwent surgery in Los Angeles. . . . Redstone Theatres selected MGM’s “The Singing Nun” as third anniver¬ sary attraction at the deluxe Cinema1, Worcester, Mass. . . . Lou Cohen, who retired last year as manager of Loew’s Palace, has joined the Art Theatre Corporation of Hart¬ ford as manager of the 900-seat, first-run Webster. ... In Taunton, Mass., Esquire Thetres of America is seeking city board of select¬ men’s approval for construction of a hard-top theatre in the Raynham Shopping Center on Route 44. . . . Warner Bros.’ “Battle of the Bulge” concluded a 30-week Lockwood and Gordon Cinerama Theatre stay May 10, with UA’s “The Greatest Story Ever Told” opening the next night. UA’s “Khartoum” will bow June 29. . . . Dave Parmelee, assistant to Charles Tolls, general manager of the Tolls Theatres (Meriden and Newington), returned from a two-month stay in Brazil, sponsored by the Meriden Rotary Club. The Meriden Junior Women’s Club and the Parent-Teacher Council sponsored benefit .shows at the deluxe Meriden. . . . James M. Totman, Stanley Warner New England zone manager, antici¬ pates a June 29 opening for the 1200-seat the¬ atre being built in the Gateway Shopping CLARK TRANSFER INC. Terminals: • BOSTON, MASS. 100 Gibson Street, Dorchester 617-282-2099 • 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 May 18, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 17