The Exhibitor (1966)

ALBANY Mrs. Wadad Boumansur is refurbishing the 700-seat Plaza, Malone. Lobby and other im¬ provements are in progress at the only conven¬ tional theatre open in the border village. . . . "Dear John” closed a four-week first run en¬ gagement at three area drive-ins. . . . Warners’ “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” opens at the SW Strand on Aug. 24; and Martin Bur¬ nett, manager, predicts that its take will sur¬ pass that for any film shown there during the past decade. . . . A1 Glaubinger, division man¬ ager; Jim Fetter, assistant sales manager; and Ken Reuter, Buffalo-Albany manager for United Artists, visited Schine Theatres’ home office at Gloversville. BOSTON De-Lem Enterprises, a new exploitation-art film production company, announced the forthcoming filming of their first exploitation film, “Diary of a Swinger.” Produced for them by Amero Bros. Inc., shooting was to begin Aug. 18. “Diary of a Swinger” will be shot in New York City and New England. John and Lem Amero, both veterans of tele¬ vision networks and various independent film companies, will produce and direct. The film was written by Robert Parker and is slated for fall release. BUFFALO James J. Hayes, managing director, Cinema, downtown Buffalo, and supervisor of that house and the recently acquired Jo-Mor Wehrle Drive-In, is putting new life into that ozoner. There are attractive new ad layouts, kiddie cartoon carnivals at dusk when children under 12 are admitted free, and refurbishing and redecorating throughout. . . . Tom Bello, manager of Blatt Bros.’ Park Drive-In, Ebenezer, N.Y., is proud of the records being set , at his outdoorer during the current run of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”. The first and second week grosses are said to be among the highest ever recorded in any Buffalo area drive-in, and Robert Hurd, manager of the concession department, claims refreshment stand sales are the highest in history. The film now is in its fourth week at the Park, which is also some kind of record. . . . Harry Hollander, Columbia exploiteer, was in work¬ ing on advance publicity for “Birds Do it,” Soupy Sales starrer coming to town soon. . . . When Jerry Lewis was in Buffalo appearing in his variety show at Melody Fair, he threw a dinner for a number of exhibitors who were showing his newest film, “Three on a Couch.” The banquet was staged at the Treadway Motel in Niagara Falls. Among industryites attending were Jake Stefanon, district manager of Blatt Bros. Theatres, and Mrs. Stefanon; Myron Gross, Co-Operative Theatres, and Mrs. Gross; Mannie A. Brown, head of Mannie Brown Associates; and A1 Wright, drive-in and restaurant operator. . . . Frank Quinlivan, district manager, Dipson Theatres, announces that the Colvin has booked “John F. Kennedy — Years of Lightning, Days of Drums” for a Sept. 14 premiere. This is the feature film produced by the U.S. Information Agency. . . . One of Buffalo’s better known downtown land¬ marks, the Lafayette Theatre building, has changed hands again. New owner is Buffalo attorney Frank J. Bona. He recently acquired the property from the Benderson interests by taking over the mortgage of about $500,000. The Lafayette property is held under the title of the Fifty States Management Corp., a fam¬ ily-controlled holding company headed by Mrs. Bona. Bona said the company represents interests both local and out of town. The John Perakos, vice-president and assistant general manager, Perakos Theatre Associates, is flanked by Hartford models at the gala recent reopening of the Eastwood, East Hartford, Conn., now called Cinema One. Basil Bros.’ flagship was housed in the struc¬ ture for many years, with George H. Mackenna as its managing director. CHARLOTTE Lyle Wilson, operator of the two motion picture theatres at Roanoke Rapids, N. C., announced that no further Beatle motion pic¬ tures would be shown in Roanoke Rapids in support of recent radio station bannings prompted by anti-religious remarks made by John Lennon, one of the Beatle group. He said two popular Beatle hit films scheduled for showing had been cancelled and would not be seen. He said the ban would be in effect until the entire situation was cleared up. One of the films, to have opened at the Gaston Drive-In on Aug. 10, was replaced by another feature. . . . “The Sound of Music” completed a full year’s run at the Ambassador, Raleigh, N. C., and manager C. E. Stone said “the end is not in sight, as enthusiastic crowds continue to attend many performances.” Stone said that as of Aug. 10, “over 250,000 persons have attended 563 performances ... an unprece¬ dented entertainment event in North Caro¬ lina.” Ticket orders have been received, he said, from towns and communities throughout central and eastern North Carolina, as well as from other states. CINCINNATI Twentieth Century-Fox exchange, a long¬ time tennant on Film Row, will move its of¬ fice downtown to the Enquirer building Oct. 1. . . . Cincinnati Theatres has been awarded a plaque by the Cincinnati Beautiful Commit¬ tee for the lovely surroundings and smart ap¬ pointments of its new Princeton Cinema. An award is given every month during the year by the committee to an industry or a business firm which has added beauty to its commu¬ nity. . . . William Wilson is new manager of Cincinnati Theatres’ Dixie Cruise-In, Middletown, O. . . . Chic Weinberg, MGM booker, listened to “happy birthday” greetings sung by the office staff. ... It is nice to see manager Jack Finberg back at his desk at UA. ... A fashion show added excitement and zest to the opening of “How To Steal A Million” at the Princeton Cinema, with models wearing exact duplicates of four of Audrey Hepburn’s film costumes. The Hoffman Sewing Center made the garments, which were modeled by its own members. . . . The Albee Theatre has set up a series of past film classics for the en¬ joyment of Golden Age Club members on Monday mornings during the next five weeks. Coffee and sweets are served prior to the screenings. . . . Alfred Hitchcock fans stood in long lines during a driving rain awaiting the opening of “Torn Curtain” at the Ambassador and the 20th Century, Oakley Square. There were capacity crowds at both houses which are about a block apart from each other. Patrons who walked across the huge red car¬ pet on the sidewalk in front of 20th Century entered a newly redecorated theatre, one of the most attractive suburban theatres in Cin¬ cinnati. . . . “The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming,” and so are the patrons to Times Towne Cinema since the film’s opening Aug. 4. Prior to the opening, approxi¬ mately 900,000 patrons have attended seven movies at the Times Town Cinema since the theatre established its first-run policy in 1964. The person who purchases the one-millionth ticket is in for a surprise. COLUMBUS, O. Screen stars Carroll Baker and Shirley Jones are closing the Kenley Players’ summer stage series at Veterans Memorial. Miss Baker stars in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” the week of Aug. 23. Miss Jones is starred in “The Sound of Music” the week of Aug. 30. . . . Manager Sam Shubouf is vacationing in New England. . . . “Nevada Smith” was held for a third week at Loew’s Ohio. . . . RKO Palace com¬ pleted a second month of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and holdovers continue for “The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming” at Cinema East; “Doctor Zhivago” at Hunt’s Cinestage; “Khartoum” at Grand Cinerama; and “The Sound of Music” at Northland Cinema . . . John Huston’s “The Bible” is scheduled to be the next reservedseat attraction at Northland Cinema. DALLAS The appointment of Peggy Smith of Dallas as southwestern district theatrical sales repre¬ sentative for Comet Film Distributors has been made by Milton Platt, Comet vice-presi¬ dent. She formerly operated her own com¬ pany, Myco Film Exchange, which represented Janus Films and other well known distribu¬ tors. . . . The first week of “The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming” turned in more business at the Esquire than any other film since “Mary Poppins” ran at the neigh¬ borhood theatre for 15 weeks in 1964-65. . . . Fred Mound, United Artists branch manager in Indianapolis, has been promoted to the new post of assistant branch manager of the Dallas exchange, effective Sept. 1. Mound joined UA as a booker in St. Louis in 1953, became a salesman in that branch in March 1956, and was promoted to branch manager of Indianapolis in May 1962. . . . William Rowland, director, was in on a promotional visit in behalf of his new film, “Tobo the Happy Clown,” made especially for young filmgoers. The film is scheduled for showing at 25 local theatres on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1 and 2. These are mostly theatres oper¬ ated by Interstate, Stanley Warner of Texas, and Rowley United. The following weekend, Oct. 8 and 9, the films will be shown in a similar multiple engagement in Houston. . . . Jack Murray, member of the news staff of WFAA-TV in Dallas, played the role of a television newscaster in a movie to be released soon. “The Plastic Dome of Norma Jean.” . . . Joe S. Jackson, convention chairman of the 1967 Texas D-I Theatre Owners Asso¬ ciation, said that the booth exhibit area and meeting room for the 1967 convention is being increased by 25 percent over accommodations for the 1966 event. The convention is to be held Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 and 2, 1967, at the Statler Hilton Hotel. Requests have already come in for half of the available exhibit space. August 24, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 15