The Exhibitor (1966)

Col/s Jordan Elevated To Top International Post NEW YORK — The board of directors of Columbia Pictures International Corp. elected Marion F. Jordan to the post of executive vicepresident. Jordan has been vice-president of the overseas subsidiary of Columbia Pictures Corp. for the past six years and its foreign sales manager since last January. In his new post, Jordan succeeds Mo Roth¬ man, who had retained the position of execu¬ tive vice-president of Columbia International after being named vice-president in charge of worldwide distribution for the parent com¬ pany in January. At the same time, it was announced that Bert N. Obrentz had been promoted to the position of foreign sales manager of Columbia International. Obrentz has been executive assistant to Rothman, first in the latter’s foreign-company capacity and later in Roth¬ man’s present position, for the past two-anda-half years. The company stated that Jordan was being elevated to the top operating post in Columbia International after having firmly taken over the reins of the overseas distribution organiza¬ tion during his tenure as sales manager. Prior to that, he had been Continental manager with headquarters in Paris. He joined Colum¬ bia in 1960 after many years with Universal Pictures. Obrentz entered the industry in 1946 with 20th Century-Fox and served that company as assistant manager and manager in South Africa. He first came to Columbia International in 1955 as assistant to the then operating head, Lacy Kastner. After four years at MetroGoldwyn-Mayer International as vice-president in charge of the Far East, Australia, and Africa, he returned to Columbia in 1964. TCL Shifts Execs TORONTO, CANADA— J. J. Fitzgibbons, Jr., president, Theatre Confections Ltd., an¬ nounced the following transfer of personnel: Lionel W. Gibb, branch manager, Winnipeg, to Toronto head office as branch manager of Ontario District “B”; Leonard A. Turoldo, branch manager, Ontario District “B”, to di¬ rector of sales promotion with headquarters in Toronto; and Murray J. Sherriff, supervisor, drive-in theatres and parks department, to branch office, Winnipeg. “Hawaii” Soundtrack Album HOLLYWOOD — Elmer Bernstein’s original soundtrack album of “Hawaii,” the Mirisch Corporation film presentation of James A. Michener’s noted novel, has been set for release Oct. 1 by United Artists records. “Hawaii,” starring Julie Andrews, Max Von Sydow, and Richard Harris, will world pre¬ miere Oct. 10 at the DeMille Theatre in New York, followed by a gala west coast premiere Oct. 12 at the Egyptain Theatre in Hollywood. “Zhivago” Tops $20 Million NEW YORK — The domestic box office gross for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Doctor Zhivago” surpassed the $20,000,000 mark over the Labor Day weekend, it was announced by Morris E. Lefko, MGM vice-president and general sales manager, and Mel Maron, MGM roadshow sales manager. September 14, 1966 Durwood s Four Theatre Complex To Brighten K.C Shopping Center L.A. Area Exhibs Asked To Back “Whit’s Month” Los ANGELES — Harold Whitman, Uni¬ versal head booker in Los Angeles, who will retire on Oct. 1 after 44 years with the company, has appealed to exhibitor cus¬ tomers to help him retire “in a blaze of glory” by lending support to what he has designated as “Whit’s Month.” “Whit’s Month” will be the final weeks of Universal’s six months “Power Sales Drive,” and the exhibitor friends he has made during his 44 years with the company are being asked for their support in the form of bookings of as many Universal feature pictures and short subjects as possi¬ ble. In his appeal to the exhibitors, Whitman has written, “I am hoping the results will be proud reflection of my long years of service to the Los Angeles exhibitors and know that I can count on you.” The local exhibitors are planning a luncheon in Whitman’s honor to be held during the latter part of September. Col. Sets Africa Deal NEW YORK— Columbia Pictures Inter¬ national Corporation and Ster Films (Pty.) Ltd. announced the signing of a new distribu¬ tion agreement covering the exclusive release of Columbia product throughout southern Africa. The announcement was made jointly by Marion F. Jordan, newly appointed executive vice-president of the International Corpora¬ tion, and Andre Pieterse, president of Ster Films (Pty.) Ltd. Pathe Laboratories’ recent 60th anniversary which designates the firm as the oldest continuously active company in the industry was observed by the Los Angeles City Council. On hand to share the birthday cake were, left to right, Lawrence I. Weisman, Pathe’s president; actress Maura McCiveney; and Councilman Paul Lamport. MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR KANSAS CITY — Durwood Theatres is putting into action a new concept in motion picture exhibition, four theatres located under one roof in one of the city’s major shopping centers. It is believed to be the first time any¬ where that four theatres will have been planned together from the ground up, and clustered to¬ gether under the same management. The four Metro Plaza theatres, Metro I, II, III, and IV. are located in the Metro Plaza Shopping Center, and will give Durwood 15 theatres in greater Kansas City when com¬ pleted. The revolutionay plan emerged when additional space became available after an original plan called for twin theatres. The four theatres are designed in a cloverleaf pattern and will provide about 1,500 seats, with two larger theatres and two smaller. A central grand lobby has two levels in a modi¬ fied diamond shape, with a boxoffice and con¬ cession stand common to all four theatres on the first level. The center portion of the grand lobby will be open through both levels, providing a courtyard effect. Entrances to the four theatres will be at various points on the first level. The second level will be reached by a stair¬ well at the rear point of the diamond, leading to a patron’s lounge and restrooms, manager’s office, and projection booths. The location in the southeast sector of Kansas City proper is accessible to a large segment of the population not served by other theatres within close proximity. Four theatres at the one location will enable Durwood to present a wide variety of product, including family programs at all times, as well as so¬ phisticated and more adult pictures. The pol¬ icy will be quality products first run, or sub runs of stature, said Stanley Durwood, presi¬ dent. The four theatre plan is a logical develop¬ ment of the circuit’s operation with a different concept. It brought twin hardtops here three years ago with its Parkway I and II in the outlying Ward Parkway Center, and later with Embassy I and II in the lower level in the heart of the deluxe Country Club Plaza shop¬ ping district. The circuit also is noted for its demi-tasse downtown theatres, the Studio of 150 seats, the Academy of 136, and the recently opened Screening Room with only 94 seats. In these unusual physical arrangements, the circuit has found flexibility to have increasing advantages, and expects to develop this aspect to new highs in the Metro Plaza project. The theatres are expected to open in Octo¬ ber and give a considerable boost to traffic at the shopping center. It opened in 1965 on a portion of what once was the Blue Hills Golf Course. The first year, the traffic count is ex¬ pected to be about 350,000 persons at the cen¬ ter, and could easily reach 500,000 the second year, especially with the theatres as a means of stimulating traffic, Durwood said. The lease with the shopping center involves about 12,500 sq. ft., and the four theatre undertaking is estimated to be about a $450,000 project. The two larger theatres are to seat about 500 each in fan-shaped designs side by side. The two smaller theatres will be nearer rec¬ tangular in shape and seat upwards of 300 each. Decor will be in the reds and golds which are becoming something of a Durwood trade¬ mark here. 13