The Exhibitor (1966)

Variety Broadens Charity Projects New Committee Formed To Aid Children In Countries Where Tents Are Not Yet Established LONDON — Eliot Hyman, president of Seven Arts Pictures, has accepted an invitation to be chairman of a new committee formed by Variety Clubs International to investigate and aid children’s charity projects in countries where the Variety movement is not established (the Variety organization has clubs in Amer¬ ica, Canada, Mexico, Ireland, and Britain). The appointment was announced by inter¬ national chief barker Jim Carreras, who stated that already Hyman had three projects under consideration. The first is in the final stages of completion. It is a plan to bring to London, England, five handicapped youngsters from Liberia for sur¬ gery and the fitting of artificial limbs. The scheme was brought to the attention of Vari¬ ety by a British barker, Dr. J. Mountrose, and Sir Henry Porritt, who is a surgeon to Her Majesty The Queen. The five children will be accommodated, free of charge, at the St. Andrew’s Hospital, Dollis Hill, and will in all probability receive treatment at the Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children, Roehampton. This is being ar¬ ranged by Leslie Macdonnell, a past chief barker of British Variety and currently chair¬ man of its medical research committee. Mac¬ donnell will additionally arrange transport through Variety’s Sunshine Coach Scheme, of which he is also chairman. Dr. Mountrose is to negotiate free surgery. It will be Hyman’s responsibility to find a sponsor to defray the cost of transport to and from their country for the children and a medical attendant. Hyman is also investigating the supply of a Sunshine Coach for handicapped children in Hong Kong, and the erection of a classroom for sick and handicapped children in Nigeria. Jim Carreras has already appointed three chairmen to head new sub-committees during 1966/67. They are Mike Frankovich, first vicepresident of Columbia Pictures, to supervise the entertainment and appearance of artists at Variety functions; Jim Nicholson, president, American International Pictures, to organise the studios and production sides of the U.S. film industry on Variety International’s behalf; and E. D. Martin, past president, Theatre Owners of America, who chairs the film exhibi¬ tors of America committee being formed in the United States to implement the strength of Variety International. Carreras has extended invitations to other motion picture industry executives to head committees being recruited to widen Variety’s scope and add to its fund-raising potential. Residents Oppose Theatre HARTFORD — A Court of Common Pleas hearing will be held Sept. 6 on an appeal by Plainville, Conn., residents, Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Paul, opposing the Plainville Zon¬ ing Board’s recent approval of a petition by Perakos Theatre Associates, independent Con¬ necticut circuit, to build a $1 million theatrecommercial center on Route 72, Plainville. The theatre site is across the road from P-T-A’s Plainville Drive-In Theatre. South Texas Exhibitors Form New Organization SAN ANTONIO— Gene T. Cole, city manager, Gulf State Theatres, was elected president of the newly organized South Texas Motion Picture Exhibitors Asso¬ ciation. Other officers include George Watson, city manager, Interstate Theatres, Inc., vice-president, and Ted Waggonner, man¬ ager, Cinema I and II, North Star Mall, secretary-treasurer. A rules committee was named consisting of Charles Wolfe, city manager, Stanley Warner of Texas Theatres; Eric Brendler, manager, Broadway; and John Santikos, general manager, Mid-Loop, Inc., oper¬ ators of the Olmos and the soon to be opened San Pedro Twin Outdoor Theatre. Exhibitors from throughout the South Texas area are eligible to become mem¬ bers and are invited to contact Cole at the Alamo Drive-In, 1428 Austin Highway, San Antonio. Meetings will be held the second Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. at the Wayfarer Motor Hotel. Purpose of the organization is to resolve problems of mutual interest to the mem¬ bership; to take collective action in the advancement, promotion, and protection of motion pictures as the outstanding medium of entertainment; and to act as a clearing house for activities in connec¬ tion with the promotion of better rela¬ tions with the general public. Donnenfeld Elected To Paramount V-P Post NEW YORK — Bernard Donnenfeld has been elected a vice-president of Paramount Pictures Corporation, it was announced by George Weltner, president. He will serve as executive in charge of studio and production administration. “Mr. Donnenfeld’s election as vice-president marks another forward move in the implemen¬ tation of Paramount’s expanded world-wide production program,” Weltner and Howard W. Koch, vice-president and studio and produc¬ tion head, said in a joint statement. “He has demonstrated a keen knowledge of all aspects of production and studio administration and we feel that he will continue to make a signifi¬ cant contribution to the company’s important and far-reaching present and future produc¬ tion program.” Prior to becoming associate head of studio activities early in 1965, Donnenfeld served as assistant for production activities to Mr. Welt¬ ner in New York. He joined Paramount in 1957 in an executive capacity and was execu¬ tive assistant to Jack Karp, former Paramount studio head. Demme Joins Embassy NEW YORK — Jonathan Demme has been appointed to the publicity staff of Embassy Pictures. Prior to joining Embassy, Demme served as film critic for the Coral Gables (Fla.) Times. United Cinemas Plans Rehabilitation Program GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. — A program of re¬ habilitation to get under way immediately was the highlight of a top level organizational meet¬ ing of the United Cinemas, Inc., held at the Realty Equities office and presided over by Morris Karp, president. Realty Equities is the parent organization of United Cinemas, Inc., which recently took title to 52 Schine Theatres. It was announced that the same management team who made the organization one of the leading showman¬ ship circuits of the industry will continue in the same capacity. Heading the circuit as general manager and executive director will be Lou S. Hart, 30 year veteran of the Schine team. George V. Lynch continues to hold the reins as chief of the buying and booking department, with Chris Pope and Gus Lynch assisting in book¬ ing the theatres. Murray Grodetsky, a new¬ comer to the organization, has been appointed manager of the real estate division, and Abe Kaplan will be comptroller. Mrs. Pat Long will continue handling per¬ sonnel and control departments. John Szczerba will be the head of the maintenance and pur¬ chasing department, assisted by George Stein. Ralph Moses will be in charge of concessions, and Sam Mills continues to head publicity and advertising departments for the circuit. Meetings are planned with field district managers and theatre men to set up programs and promotions for upcoming releases. A program for expansion is one of the ob¬ jectives of the new company, and discussions toward this end are going forward daily, it was announced by Karp. “Steal’’ Is N.Y. Millionaire NEW YORK— William Wyler’s “How to Steal a Million,” 20th Century-Fox production starring Peter O’Toole and Audrey Hepburn, hit the mililon dollar mark at the Radio City Music Hall. To mark the occasion, the film company presented one of the more than 50 “original forgeries” commissioned for the film to the million dollar customer. The plot of “How to Steal a Million” revolves around the forgery of unknown works by famous painters. The family, whose purchase of six tickets put the film into the million dollar bracket, were Mr. and Mrs. Steven Mondau and their four children, Tacoma, Wash. Mondau is a high school principal in Tacoma, and the family was taking in the film as a last fling in the U.S. before leaving for Nigeria, where Mondau will be teaching for a year. The painting, entitled “Study of the Dance,” in the style of Degas, will be shipped to them in Africa. Turner Resigns UA Post NEW YORK — John Turner has resigned as United Artists division manager for the metropolitan area. He will announce his new plans in the near future. Turner has been with the UA sales department since 1960 filling the posts of New York branch manager and dis¬ trict manager before assuming his last assign¬ ment. 6 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 24, 1966