The Exhibitor (1966)

Tors 1966 schedule to go before the cameras. Others are the United Artists release, “Namu, The Killer Whale,” and Paramount releases “Cowboy in Africa,” “Gentle Ben,” and “Los Island,’” the latter set for shooting in Palm Beach County, Miami, and the Bahamas. . . . “Cinema 41” has been chosen as the name of the theatre opening Dec. 23 in the South Trail Shopping Center in the Ft. Myers area. Leon¬ ard J. Solomon, president of South Trail Ven¬ tures, Inc., also announced that his firm is hoping to build another new theatre in Naples. The Cinema 41 will have 950 stagger seats, with 42 inches between rows. The curved screen will be 46 feet in width for showing of first-run films. There will be no stage. Theo¬ dore Gottfried, Miami, is the architect. Bogard Corporation is the contractor, and B & G Metals is handling the air conditioning. Both of these are Ft. Myers firms. . . . The Orange Avenue Drive-In opened in Orlando. The theatre was formerly in another location and then moved a short way to a more accessible spot close to Interstate — 4. . . . Cameras are rolling now on Thunderbird International Pic¬ tures’ “Pitstop.” The film is in color and shoot¬ ing will be done at Studio City and in West Palm Beach. Joe Fink, president of Thunderbird, announced that Bill Crefe, directing the film, also wrote the script, a story of stock car racing. Crefe also directed Thunderbird’s “Devils’ Sisters.” . . . Jim Carey, assistant district manager, Wometco Theatres, was ac¬ cepting congratulations on the birth of his first grandchild, a boy. . . . Construction is well underway on the new 18,000-square-foot Miami headquarters of Reela Films, Inc. Wometco president Mitchell Wolfson recently stated that he expects this to be the most com¬ pletely equipped motion picture services facil¬ ity in the entire southeastern United States. It is expected that the new laboratory will be able to process all kinds of motion picture film from 10 second tv commercials to fulllength features for theatre use. The facility will include equipment for videotape transfer, sound recording, animation, and titling, and will include six editing rooms; four of the new¬ est music libraries; two screening and record¬ ing rooms; and a fully-equipped still photo¬ graphic lab. The film processing equipment to be installed will be the latest high-speed spray units for 16mm and 35mm black-and-white film and 16mm for color film. MEMPHIS Some changes have been made at this city’s two art houses, the Guild and the Studio. Both have started selling popcorn in their lobbies. W. E. Kendall, manager of the two houses, reported that he intends to continue to serve free coffee. . . . “La Dolce Vita” opened the second annual student film series at Christian Brothers College, and proved to be a provoca¬ tive start for the Catholic college’s series of six films. . . . The local Variety Club honored Fred Gattas, a former president, with a testimonial dinner. . . . Bay Theatre, Red Bay, Ala., closed after the last playdate of Oct. 9. . . . C. M. Brooke reports that Mazy, Mt. Pleasant, Ark., has closed for the winter. . . . Paramount, Helena, Ark., reopened on Oct. 14. . . . Shelby, Shelby, Miss., closed, as has Paris Drive-In, Paris, Ark., Bel Air Drive-In, Centerville, Tern., and Autoscope Drive-In, La Center, Ky. In Arkansas, at Marshall, Kenda Drive-In has closed for the season, and Ken indoor has reopened. . . . Miss Helen Van Vulpen, Warner, was hostess to the dinner meeting for October of the local WOMPI. Reports of the Des Moines convention were made. . . . “Hotel” was reviewed at the October meeting of the Better Films Council at the Memphis Public Don Hicks, right, president. Motion Picture Asso¬ ciates Foundation of Philadelphia, is seen present¬ ing Jack Beresin a pictorial record of the 75th birthday celebration which was tendered in his honor by the organization at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel. In the center is Norman Silverman, who with Sylvan Cohen acted as co-chairman for the event. Library. ... A Christian Brothers College spokesman admitted “some complaints” about the current movie series at the Catholic college, and added “it’s not impossible that we may be forced to change.” Opposition seems to be centered around “Knife In The Water,” which has been rated “C” by the National Catholic Office for Motion Pictures. The Rev. Paul Clunan, priest at St. Louis Catholic Church, often outspoken in denouncing what he terms “immoral movies” and who was instrumental in getting the injunction banning “Mondo Freudo” from the Strand Theatre, has been looking into the movies scheduled for the CBC series. The college spokesman states that entertainment is not the sole function of the series, and that films not ideal as entertainment may have an educational value in connection with college courses. NEW HAVEN-HARTFORD Franklin E. Ferguson Associates, which buys product for 17 Connecticut theatres, has moved from 178 Haverford street, Hamden, to 384 Whalley avenue, across the street from the Whalley Theatre, New Haven. Larry Ger¬ maine, who was in booking capacities with Stanley Warner and predecessor Warner Bros. Theatres, New Haven, for 30 years, has joined the Lerguson firm as a film booker. . . . Attor¬ ney Maurice Silverman, well-known film in¬ dustry figure, and Mrs. Nancy Steinbach Mack, Hamden, were married at the Hamden home of attorney Herman M. Levy, executive secretary, United Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Connecticut. Silverman, with the antitrust division of the Department of Justice, Washington, handles matters arising out of the decrees in the U.S. -vs. -Paramount case. . . . Norm Levinson, at one time assistant to Lou Cohen at Loew’s Poli, Hartford, and now gen¬ eral manager of Dallas-based Festival The¬ atres, Inc., was in Hartford on a brief visit. . . . The Palace, Norwich, announced Monday through Wednesday closing. . . . Buddy Horan, formerly in down-state independent exhibition, has joined the Art Theatre Circuit, Hartford, as manager of the first-run Webster, succeed¬ ing Gabriel Valente, resigned. ... Joe Miklos, Stanley Warner Hartford district manager, has put a discount plan into effect for Central Connecticut College students at the Strand, New Britain first-run. . . . Edward Veronau, manager, Irwin Cohen-operated Bijou Cinema, first-run Springfield, Mass., downtown house, has resigned to join the Franciscan Order at Greymoor, Garrison, N.Y. Replacing him is assistant William LaRochelle. ... Ed Smith, former Paramount manager, has been recover¬ ing from surgery at Springfield, Mass., Mercy Flospital. . . . Gloria Paran, formerly cashier at the B&Q Arcade and the Cohen Bijou Cinema, Springfield, Mass., has joined staff at the SW Capitol. . . . Ed Graveline, formerly projectionist at the Redstone Cinema 1 & 2 complex, West Springfield, Mass., has trans¬ ferred to the Arcade. . . . RKO General vicepresident John H. Pinto has written letters to the 7,000 customers of subscription television in Connecticut and Massachusetts, assuring them that operations of WHCT-TV (channel 18), the RKO General experiment here, are not being curtailed. His comments are appar¬ ently in aftermath of the FCC proposal to permit nationwide STV and subsequent antiSTV remarks from “those opposed to such authorization.” ... In Lawrence, Mass., Rob¬ ert Butler, resident manager of Redstone The¬ atres' deluxe Cinema 1 and 2 complex, hosted premiere of MGM’s “Doctor Zhivago” at Cinema 2, opening night proceeds going to the Eye Research Council of the Lawrence Lions Club. NEW ORLEANS Variey Club Tent 45 held a cocktail party in honor of John Harris, chief barker, Variety Clubs International, who stopped over for a visit on his way to the west coast. . . . C. C. Duke has suspended shows at the Owl DriveIn, Columbia, La., until spring. . . . Ray Riemer returned as MGM cashier after a vacation in Jamaica. . . . Joy N. Houck, head, Joy’s Theatres, and Teddy Solomon, president, Gulf States Theatres, held an invitational premiere opening of their Oaklawn Cinema, Texarkana, with MGM’s “Doctor Zhivago.” . . . Bob and Janice Woodford, he’s the youth¬ ful manager of the Plaza and Peacock, an¬ nounce the arrival of their first born, Brandt Singleton. . . . The WOMPI international parley will be held at the Jung Hotel, Sept. 15—17, 1967. . . . Richard Widmark, Victoria Shaw, producer Sol Siegel, and director Ed¬ ward Dmytryk were in connection with Columbia’s “Alvarez Kelly.” They participated in the gala premiere of the film at the Broad¬ moor, Baton Rouge. . . . The Civic, piloted by John Roberts for a number of years, and which occasionally housed roadshow films between appearances of touring stage shows, has officially become the home of Repertory Theatres of New Orleans. Sponsoring organi¬ zations are the National Endowment for the Arts and Louisiana Council of Music and the Performing Arts. Stuart Vaughn is producerdirector of the shows, with Roberts remaining at the helm of the theatre. The first show is “Charlie’s Aunt,” scheduled to open Nov. 17. PHILADELPHIA Ellis’ Castor had the local premiere of BenLar Productions’ “The Last Chapter.” It was sponsored by the American Jewish Congress; and attending were Martin B. Ellis, president of the Ellis Theatre chain; William Yurasko, general manager; Stephen B. Naron, president, American Jewish Congress, and Lawrence Rothman, producer of the film. . . . Theatre Owners of Pennsylvania received a request from Mayor Tate to have local theatres place leaf¬ lets in lobbies soliciting patrons to vote the Bond issue on the forthcoming ballot. The city will deliver these leaflets to the theatres. SALT LAKE CITY Bus Campbell, former manager of both the Utah and Capitol, Salt Lake City, and affili¬ ated with Columbia and Paramount here for November 2, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 17