The Exhibitor (1966)

originally seen on television, is a suspense story of the international drug traffic. . . . On Nov. 10, McLendon Theatres will introduce a new lens at the Casa Linda, Preston Royal, and Park Forest for the showing of “Khartoum.” The lens is specially ground to specifications of the theatre and built to be interchangeable with regular lens equipment. The new lens projects a brighter image on the screen, an image with more depth creating a three dimen¬ sional effect. The lens will be used for selected films, and it is expected that installation will be made in all the theatres operated by the circuit. A study is under way for use of the same type lens for the circuit’s D-Is. . . . An advance visit was made by the Hollywood caravan of stars en route to Houston for the premiere of “Texas Across the River.” In the troupe were Peter Graves, Rosemary Forsyth, and Tina Marquand, stars of the film; Harry Keller, producer; and Chief Redwing, the fast draw expert. In Houston, they were to be joined by Dean Martin and Andrew Prine. They returned for three appearances on the stage of the Majestic here. . . . Following a week of filming exterior locations in Midlotian, Venus, Ponder, Garland, and Rowlett for “Bonnie and Clyde,” the Warren Beatty-Fay Dunway co-starring vehicle, the company has moved to Stage 2 in Dallas for several days of interior shooting. The picture, which deals with the outlaw careers of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in the early 1 930’s, has been “re-visiting” bank robbery scenes of the out¬ law pair. . . . The Festival has instituted a discount ticket price policy for students and senior citizens. . . . “Alfie,” scheduled to open on Nov. 2 at Cinema II, NorthPark, has been postponed because of the continued good at¬ tendance of “Doctor Zhivago.” The showing of “Alfie” is booked for a minimum of 12 weeks and may now open as the Christmas attraction. DES MOINES Iowa-based Heartland Productions held pre¬ miere for “The Hostages” in connection with the grand opening of Richard Davis’ Eastgate Shopping Center Cinema I and II in Des Moines. A formal dinner and reception in the Savery Hotel for members of the production staff and cast preceded the premiere. The film already has over 100 playdates set up in Iowa, and Heartland Productions is exploring addi¬ tional films now that the first one is on the road. . . . Peter Frederick, former manager of the Capri, Des Moines, and more recently manager of the Capri, Lake City, la., will take over as manager of the new Eastgate Cinema T and II in the Eastgate Shopping Center in Des Moines. Jeanne McCarty is taking over the Capri at Lake City, la. Frederick is also secretary-treasurer of Allied Independent The¬ atre Owners of Iowa and Nebraska. DETROIT J. H. Dreisbach, booker for United Detroit Theatres, has notified theatres here to book in their 1966 United Foundation trailer from the local office of Universal Pictures. This year’s trailer runs two to three minutes and is titled “For Every Tomorrow.” The torch drive ends Nov. 10. ... A newspaper boy who is a cerebral palsy victim had his bicycle stolen. Members of the Variety Club of Detroit im¬ mediately contacted Mrs. Francis Schilling, Cerebral Palsy Association to obtain another specially fitted bike for Joe Lukasiewicz. Last year, the Variety Club of Detroit donated a Sunshine Coach to the Cerebral Palsy Asso¬ ciation. . . . Standard Film Service, operated by Dennis Atkinson, has opened offices in De¬ troit to distribute RKO reissues. Standard Film Services was formerly in Cleveland. HOUSTON The motion picture, “Is Paris Burning,” will produce a “Salute to Paris” week here when it opens at the Gaylynn on Nov. 17. The salute begins on Armistice Day, Nov. 11. . . . Holly¬ wood motion picture star Chill Wills and actor Big John Hamilton of San Antonio were here to participate in the annual Bill Williams’ Charity Capon Dinner. . . . Mayor Louis Welch of Houston declared Oct. 26 “Christ¬ mas Day for Fighting Men in Viet Nam” to coincide with the opening of “The Bible” at the Tower. The first showing will be a benefit to buy Christmas gifts for Viet Nam servicemen. Many banks have purchased $100 worth of tickets, and a number of local individuals have also purchased tickets. . . . Hollywood actress and singer Edie Adams opened an en¬ gagement at the Cork Club. . . . Dean Martin flew in to Houston to participate in the pre¬ miere at the Majestic of “Texas Across the River.” Five principal actors were brought into Houston by Interstate Theatres and Uni¬ versal Pictures for the premiere activities, which included a stage show. Martin selected the national winner of “Dino’s Texas Darlings” contest from among 15 finalists. . . . The ticket sales for the dinner honoring Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association of America in November at the Shamrock, will probably be a sell-out. Only 800 tickets will be sold, with over half already purchased. . . . It is hard to predict the whims of the viewing habits of art film goers in the local area. With few exceptions, new foreign films are duds at the boxoffice at the Alray, operated by Ray Boriski, and at the Tower, operated by Inter¬ state. Several others show art films including the River Oaks and the Delman. . . . The Roxy at Port Isabel, Tex., has been reopened under new management after extensive renovation. The renovation of the interior included instal¬ lation of a new snack bar. The building will be completely air conditioned. . . . Despite a gal¬ lant effort by theatregoers, the Majestic at Fort Worth, Tex., was razed. The effort was to preserve the theatre as an art or historical museum. The site will be used for Forth Worth’s new Civic Center. . . . Lester Meyer has taken over operation of the Rietta D-I and the downtown Dorothy, Henrietta, Tex., from Ray Townsend. The Rietta will be dismantled, and the Dorothy will be reopened. Townsend has theatres in Teague and Burkburnett, Tex. JACKSONVILLE The Motion Picture Charity Club of Florida, headquartered in the local Roosevelt Hotel, participated in its annual co-sponsorship of the midway attractions at the 11-day Jackson¬ ville Fair quartered in the Gater Bowl and its environs. Turnstiles at the fair were expected to admit more than 200,000 visitors this year. Members of the MPCC serve as ticket takers at all the midway shows, rides, and attractions, and, in return, the MPCC receives a profitable return for use in operating the Sunny Acres Park for Handicapped Children. A large con¬ tingent of WOMPI members perform a valu¬ able industry service by assisting the MPCC with its duties at the fair, and, as a result, WOMPI receives funds for its charitable ac¬ tivities. . . . Harry Clark, former Allied Artists salesman, and Mrs. Clark have formed the Clark Releasing Co. to handle Allied Artists films in the Jacksonville film exchange area as well as other films. They are currently dis¬ tributing “Road to Nashville,” a country music production of Crown International. . . . Marty Shearn has been reelected president of the Florida State Theatres Employees Federal Credit Union. Other officers are Robert Ileekin, vice-president; Edwina Ray, secretary; Dorothy Zeitlinger, treasurer; and committee members Leonore Kirkwood, Mary Hart, Franklin Frady, and Edna Edwards. . . . WOMPI Violet Davis, formerly of Allied Artists, has replaced Carolyn Lambert, who resigned, as a member of the Universal office staff. . . . Walter Johnson, Warner Bros, office manager, has written a persuasive letter to all Florida exhibitors which urges them to book the 11-minute short subject, “Hollywood Star Spangled Revue,” for the benefit of the Will Rogers Hospital Fund and the Motion Picture Relief Fund. . . . The Plaza Theatre, new luxury house being constructed at the local Phillips Highway Shopping Center for opera¬ tion by Kent Theatres, is expected to have its grand opening about mid-January. . . . Robert Bowers, former Allied Artists branch manager here, has joined the Universal branch office. . . . The Orange Avenue Drive-In, Orlando, a unit of Floyd Theatres, was recently dis¬ mantled and moved to a nearby location for a speedy reopening. . . . An early opening is expected for the Plant Britton Theatre in the Plant Shopping Center at Plant City. Two other Plant City theatres, the Capitol and the Starlight, are both operated by Floyd The¬ atres. ... At the request of LaMar Sarra, a vice-president and general counsel of Florida State Theatres, Floyd T. Christian, Florida’s state superintendent of public school educa¬ tion, has sent a bulletin to all 67 county super¬ visors of education which urges them to co¬ operate with motion picture exhibitors in their counties for the presentation of three current motion pictures of exceptional educational quality. The pictures are “Namu, the Killer Whale,” produced at Ivan Tors Studio in Miami; the “Sleeping Beauty” ballet; and “Fabulous Spain,” a new Burton Holmes travelogue. . . . WOMPI Joyce Malmborg, formerly with the now defunct Allied Artists branch office, has joined the United Artists staff. . . . Charles King, local AIP manager who is president of the Motion Picture Charity Club, provides $250 in AIP prize money at the end of four-month periods to Florida exhibitors and booking executives who use their bookings of AIP films as entries for the prizes. Mrs. Mary Hart, local WOMPI president, conducted the latest AIP prize drawing as a WOMPI industry service. The two top prizes were handed out by Mrs. Hart to Kent The¬ atres executives. The $100 first prize was col¬ lected by Walter Powell, KT vice-president and film buyer, and Marshall Fling, KT booker, received a $75 cash award. R. £. Totman, owner and booker of the Highway 90 Drive-In Theatre at Baldwin, received the $50 third prize, and David E. Roper, local inde¬ pendent booker, captured the $25. MIAMI, FLA . Special ceremonies were held at Wometco’s Twin Theatre, presently under construction. Ten sets of twin boys and girls between the ages of four and five years took part in the handprint-in-cement ceremony. The youngsters not only put their hands into the cement, but each block bearing their name, age, and date will be set in front of the new theatre at the Easter, 1967 opening. In addition to Wometco executives participating, Metropolitan Dade County Mayor Chuck Hall officiated. In addi¬ tion to the general public, the procedure was observed by James G. Thompson, contractor, and A. Herbert Mathes, architect. . . . Lloyd Bridges has been signed by Ivan Tors Films to star in the “The Unkillables,” a fast-moving underwater adventure feature about Latin American strife, for Paramount Pictures, it was announced by executive producer Ivan Tors. Shooting is to begin in mid-November at Tors Miami studios, with location shooting in West Palm Beach and the Bahamas. “The Unkill¬ ables” will be the fifth feature film on Ivan 16 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR November 2, 1966