The Exhibitor (1966)

Glen Alden Ups Dividend; Elects New Co. Officers NEW YORK — At the meeting of the board of directors of Glen Alden Corp., held after the annual shareholders meeting here recently, the regular quarterly dividend was increased from 12/2^ to 17/2^1 a share, payable July 15, 1966 to holders of record June 30, 1966. The shareholders had earlier re-elected all 16 directors. They are Isidore A. Becker, Frank Burnside, Ralph E. Case, Patrick J. Clif¬ ford, Maurice Goodman, Luther H. Hodges, Wentworth P. Johnson, Paul A. Johnston, Leonard C. Lane, Samuel J. Levy, Austin List, M. Lester Mendell, Gilbert H. Perkins, Bert R. Prall, Meshulam Riklis and Hariy H. ^Vachtel. The board also re-elected Meshulam Riklis as its chairman and Paul A. Johnston chief executive officer and president. Austin List and Fred M. Lyon were named vice-presidents. Two new vice-presidents were also elected — Matthew Polon and John A. Boland, Jr. Polon is the president and general manager of the RKO theatres division of Glen Alden. He has spent his entire career with RKO Theatres, starting as a booker and successively becoming head booker and buyer for the RKO out-of-town theatres, chief buyer for the RKO circuit, vice-president, and then executive vicepresident and general manager until March, 1966, when he became president. Boland is president of Swift Manufacturing Co., also a subsidiary of Glen Alden. He had been associated for the past 27 years with Bur¬ lington Industries and LaFrance Industries until he left his position as vice-presidentgeneral manager of LaFrance to become presi¬ dent of Swift in December 1, 1965. He re¬ ceived his B.S. in Textiles from North Caro¬ lina State College. He is married to the former Frances Ross and has two sons. Lloyd G. Wilson was elected secretary and general attorney in place of Wm. F. Whitman, who is retiring and who will be a consultant. Press Assoc. Elecfs Luft HOLLYWOOD— Herbert G. Luft was elected president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association by an overwhelming majority, succeeding Bertil Unger, who has served six terms in that office. Elected along with Luft, who will serve through May, 1967, were Gloria Geale, vicepresident; Walter Fischer, secretary; and Vic¬ tor Q. Holguin, treasurer. Holguin, who has held that post since 1958, was the only candi¬ date elected by unanimous acclamation. Unger, prevented from running for reelec¬ tion by HFPA by-laws, was voted chairman of the board of directors. The four board mem¬ bers elected to serve with him are: George Dibie, Mahfouz Doss, Yseulte James and Saverio LoMedico. Gen. Theaters Joins Co-Op DETROIT — General Theaters, buyers and bookers for 28 out-state houses, closed its doors and joined Co-Operative Theaters of Michi¬ gan, which handles 73 theaters and drive-ins throughout the state, creating what is believed to be the largest independent agency of its kind in the country. Co-Op was founded in 1929, with the late Ray Moon as president. Later, Carle Buermele, who now heads General, which he founded in 1942, became president. He and his son Robert (general secretary-treasurer) will now beconte active on the old stamping ground. Mixing business with pleasures of Cannes resort at recent Festival are James Bond producer Harry Saltzman and UA's newly elected vice-president, David Picker. Woolners Plan First Doubleheader Drive-In HOLLYWOOD — The first doubleheader drive-in, using double-faced screen, two pro¬ jection booths, and playing to two audiences facing each other with different features start¬ ing at different times will be built in New Orleans this summer by Woolner Bros., theatre owners and producers. “We will offer patrons two choices of start¬ ing times, two choices of which picture to see first, two choices of parking spaces, plus the option to drive over to the other side and see what’s going on there,” announced David Woolner, sales manager and partner. The Woolners opened the south’s first drivein in Memphis in 1937, and now own a chain of Louisiana drive-ins and their own Holly¬ wood and Rome production companies. “We want to cut down patron resistance to coming in late on a picture. They will get two chances to see the picture they came for if they want to see only one; or they can switch back and forth; or they can fight over which picture to see first, if they would rather fight than switch,” said Woolner. Coldstone-Wheeler Pact NEW YORK — Harry Goldstone, president, Goldstone Film Enterprises, Inc., has con¬ cluded a deal with Wheeler Film Co. for the distribution of GFE product in the Washing¬ ton, D.C. -Baltimore exchange area. Columbus Mayor Hails Disney Family Films COLUMBUS, O. — Large family atten¬ dance at Walt Disney’s “The Ugly Dach¬ shund” at Loew’s Ohio “will encourage the making of more such wholesome films,” said Mayor Maynard E. Sensenbrenner in a proclamation making May 20—26 “Walt Disney Family Week.” Said the proclamation, “Walt Disney for many years has presented good, clean fam¬ ily-type entertainment as symbolized by ‘The Ugly Dachshund.’ Loew’s Ohio con¬ tributes a beautiful and attractive showplace for the best in cinema entertain¬ ment.” Manager Sam Shubouf made a blowup of the mayor’s proclamation for lobby dis¬ play, capping it with a “Thank You, Mr. Mayor.” WOMPIs Honor Veterans At Dallas Founders' Day DALLAS — The annual Founders and Bosses Day luncheon was held here by the Dallas chapter of Women of the Motion Picture In¬ dustry on their 13th anniversary. Karl Hoblitzelle, president. Interstate The¬ atres, was honored as the individual with the longest industry service (1906-1966). The award was accepted by Lynn Harris of the cir¬ cuit in Hoblitzelle’s absence. Mon Witcher was named longest distributor in years of ser¬ vice ( 1919-1966) . He is with Columbia. M. W. Larmour, exhibitor at Graham, was named the exhibitor with the longest years (1907-1966). Leroy Whittington was named booker with the longest service (1923 to 1966). He is with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Mrs. Adeline Franklin won the title as cashier (1924 to 1966). She is with Buena Vista. Shipper with the longest seiwice was Hank Nelson, Warner Bros. (1919 to 1966); projectionist with the longest ser¬ vice is Guy L. Luther, Tower, (1905 to 1966); and film inspectress, Mrs. Willie Lee Simmons, Paramount (1911-1966). Judy Wise, Interstate Theatres, was named “WOMPI of the Year.” Paramount received the Will Rogers Award, a statuette of the great comedian, for contributing most to the fund for the WOMPI room at the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital at Saranac, N. Y. William O’Donnell, head of Cinema Arts Theatres, was speaker. Mrs. Mabel Guinan was program chairman. Mrs. Juanita White, local president of WOMPI, presided. A surprise visitor was Mrs. Viola Wister, Charlotte, president of WOMPI International. MGM MEETING [Continued from page 4) all MGM activities daily, and he stands ready to be criticized for doing his job along those lines. He paid tribute to his staff for their efficiency and help. Forty films, snorted O’Brien, is “ludicrous.” Trying to make this many films is an impossi¬ bility, he felt, since there just isn’t the talent around, especially with other companies com¬ peting for same. O’Brien denied that his directors were rub¬ ber stamps or yes-men, and found them of great help and concerned with the well-being of the company. As regards earnings, his pre¬ diction that the company will make 30 per cent more in 1966 over last year seemed to answer that complaint. O’Brien denied being absolute ruler as to the production of films, stating that three story departments in Hollywood, New York and London confer on material, and the sales and advertising departments also play impor¬ tant roles in the sorting-out of properties. Sure enough, following the meeting, the board of directors met and voted a quarterly dividend of 50 cents, payable on July 15 to stockholders of record June 24. This is a 25 per cent increase over the 40 cents paid quar¬ terly by the company since November 1965. Said O’Brien, “The increase in the dividend voted by the board of directors is further recognition of the continued improvement in our operations, our strengthened financial posi¬ tion, and our prospects for the future.” Then the tedious job of proxy-counting be¬ gan, with no decision expected before yester¬ day or today (May 31 or June 1). 14 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR June 1, 1966