The Exhibitor (1966)

Sack Registers Another Hub First As Legit Breaks Record A t Savoy N.C. Drive-In Battles Law Setting Screen Breast Ban HIGH POINT, N. C. — A city ordinance which prohibits showing in licensed motion picture houses of films including pictures of semi-nude women or those with bare breasts exposed was attacked as “blatantly unconsti¬ tutional” in Municipal Court. Attorneys for the first two persons charged with violating the new law contended that the ordinance discriminates against theatres and prevents their operators from running their business as they see fit as long as public health, welfare, and morals are not endangered. They pointed out that the ordinance makes no mention of obscenity and that the North Carolina Supreme Court already has ruled that “sex and obscenity are not synonymous.” They moved that the indictments against John Clay Holland, 50, and Richard Michael Fox, 25, manager and projectionist, respec¬ tively, at the Pointer Drive-In, be quashed on the grounds that the law violates their consti¬ tutional rights. Judge Bryon Plaworth reserved judgment in the case and instructed attorneys for the defendants and the city to prepare briefs and submit them to him by Nov. 11. He said he would rule on the motion to quash before Dec. 1. The ordinance admittedly is aimed at “nudie” films shown at the Pointer Drive-In and is the second such ordinance to be adopted by City Council. Under a similar law adopted last year, Vincent Furio, owner of the drive-in, was convicted in Municipal Court. He ap¬ pealed to Superior Court, which reversed the lower court decision and ruled in Furio’s favor. The city appealed the latter ruling to the State Supreme Court, which upheld the Superior Court decision, declaring that the ordinance was “too vague to be enforced.” Adoption of the second ordinance then fol¬ lowed. D.C. Tent Elects Sandy WASHINGTON — Jerome H. S. Sandy, president, American International Pictures ex¬ change, has been elected chief barker of Vari¬ ety Club of Washington. Others elected were Joel Margolis, first as¬ sistant chief barker, business manager, Wash¬ ington Redskins football club; Paul A. Roth, second assistant chief barker, president, Roth Theatres; C. Glenn Norris, property master, president, Glenoris Corp.; Sam A. Galanty, dough guy, southern and eastern sales manager, Columbia Pictures. Board of trustees includes Jack J. Blank, president, Jack Blank Pontiac; Samuel Felker, executive vice-president and treasurer, Uni¬ versal Mortgage; Milton Q. Ford, radio and tv personality; Morton Gerber, president, District Theatres; Richard V. Kirsh, district manager, drive-in division of Berio Vending; and Mi¬ chael M. Stein, Pike Theatres. Mich. Allied To Change Name DETROIT — At a meeting of the board of directors of Allied Theatres of Michigan, it was authorized that the name of the organiza¬ tion be changed to National Association of Theatre Owners of Michigan, Inc. This sug¬ gestion originally came about at the national convention of NATO from Sherrill C. Corwin, president of NATO. Allied Theatres of Michigan is almost 50 years old, one of the oldest exhibitor associa¬ tions. From left to right, George F. Dembow, president, Motion Picture Pioneers Association, and former president. National Screen Service; Joseph A. Mar¬ tino, chairman of the board. National Lead Com¬ pany; and Leonard H. Goldenson, chairman of the board, American Broadcasting Companies, recently discussed plans for the 1966-67 Appeal for United Cerebral Palsy of New York City at a luncheon in New York. Levy Named President Of Two Texas Circuits BEAUMONT, TEX.— Carl D. Levy has been elected president of Jefferson Amusement Co. and East Texas Theatres. Jefferson oper¬ ates theatres in southeast Texas, while East Texas operates theatres in East Texas. Sam Tanner, Beaumont, and E. D. Hayle, Dallas, were renamed vice-presidents and directors of both companies; Max Wertheim, Beaumont, was reelected secretary-treasurer of both organizations. Two new directors were elected to the boards of both companies, L. C. Kyburz and Richard Jack, both of Beaumont. Reelected directors were R. H. Park, E. L. Kurth, Jr., and J. W. Outlaw, Jr. Levy was formerly executive vice-president of both organizations. He joined the company in 1950 as general counsel and was elected to the two board of directors the same year. Fie succeeds Julius M. Gordon, who died in April. The two circuits currently operates 42 theatres. Plans call for the opening of the recently completed Colonial Theatre, La Porte, construction of new theatres in Port Arthur, Orange, and Longview, and additional theatres in Beaumont and Nacogdoches. ABC-ITT Merger Under Anti-Trust Microscope WASHINGTON, D.C— It was indi¬ cated that a lengthy delay in FCC approval of the ABC-ITT merger could be expected as the Justice Department revealed that studies to date “indicate that substantial antitrust questions are presented” by the proposed merger. Antitrust chief Donald F. Turner told the FCC that the Justice Department has “been conducting an intensive study of the possible antitrust effects” of the merger. BOSTON — The Sack Savoy Theatre, for¬ mer Keith Memorial, which opened in 1928 as a vaude film house with former ambassador Joseph F. Kennedy as chairman of the board, Jack Pearl heading the vaudeville bill, and a Colleen Moore picture, played hostess for the first time in its theatrical life to a legitimate production, the D’Oyly Carte Opera Com¬ pany, which set a new all time record for Boston, grossing $80,000 for seven perform¬ ances at the film house. The first legitimate production for the 2,858-seat former Keith house had a price scale of $2.50-$5 for matinees; $3.50-$6 weekday nights; and $3.50-$6.50 Friday and Saturday nights, and was completely sold out Saturday night with standing room sold in another first for Boston. The theatre has three floors of dressing rooms, with private baths, a billiard room, and a clubroom. The D’Oyly Carte was the first company of legitimate performers ever to use the ornate dressing rooms. Walter Pierce, who with Mrs. Aaron Richmond, widow of the late 5. Hurok local representative, said the Savoy makes an ideal home for middle size com¬ panies, revealed that he will bring the Mexican Folkorico Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, and the Mazowse Polish dance company in as a result of the success of the D'Oyly Carte pre¬ sentation. A1 Fischer, company manager for the tour¬ ing S. Hurok production, which opened in Montreal, said the O’Oyly Carte did more in seven performances at the Savoy than in two weeks played last season at the Colonial. Bruce Worsley, the British manager, representing Bridget O’Oyly Carte and the D’Oyly Carte Opera Trust, said it was the best engagement thus far in the tour. The D’Oyly Carte opened in Washington, D. C., at the National Theatre Tuesday, Nov. 8. The company opened Tuesday, Nov. 1, with “Ruddigore,” and did three performances of “The Mikado”; “Pirates of Pensance”; and two performances of “PI.M.S. Pinafore.” Ben Sack, president of Sack Theatres, re¬ ported that legit producers in town with preBroadway tryouts sent emissaries to look over the house with a view towards putting in musi¬ cal tryouts. Sack pulled out “Alvarez Kelly” to put in the O’Oyly Carte Opera, and in another Boston first opened the Savoy on Sunday, Nov. 6, with “Texas Across the River,” first Sunday opening in Hub film history. 7 Arts May Vote Dividend TORONTO — Directors of Seven Arts Pro¬ ductions, Ltd., a distributor of films to tele¬ vision, will be asked at a meeting next month to consider declaration of an initial stock or cash dividend, Elliot Hyman, president, said in a speech read to the annual meeting by David Lubart, vice-president and secretary. For the first quarter, the company had net income of $2,592,97 1 , or $1.02 a share, on sales of $16,752,979, but the results are not indicative of prospects for the full fiscal year ending June 30, 1967, Samuel II. Haims, vicepresident and treasurer, told the meeting. In the comparable quarter last year, the company had a net loss of $22,529 and sales of $3,376,723, he said. For the full year ended June 30, 1966, Seven Arts reported net income of $5,201,741, or $2.05 a share. November 16, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 11