The Exhibitor (1966)

Perakos Circuit Improvement Plan To Spruce Up Theatres In Conn. Alliance Managers Meet; Gregory Sees Bright '67 INDIANAPOLIS— The 31st annual fall meeting of the Alliance Amusement Company was held in the Cole Porter Room of the Sheraton-Lincoln Hotel. The purpose of the meeting was to distribute cash prizes for the winners of the 15 week drive, May 22-Sept. 3. The top showmanship awards were swept by Martin Pinkstaff, Grand, Terre Haute, who for the second year in suc¬ cession was declared the best showman in the circuit and received $250. A $300 award was won by Walter Brown, East 30 Drive-In, Fort Wayne, as the overall winner. Cash awards were distributed for concessions and extra revenue. S. J. Gregory, chairman of the board, pre¬ sided over the meeting since president S. J. Pappas was unable to attend. The whole drive was a salute to Pappas, and Gregory expressed optimism for the year 1967 with the outstand¬ ing line-up of product. He also stated that with the population increase in teenagers for the next 10 years, the industry was faced with a bright future that could surpass the prosperous war years of 1940-45. Also present at the meeting were the man¬ agers of the McDonald Outdoor Restaurants as well as the managers of the community antenna systems or CATV, both part of the diversification program of the Alliance Amuse¬ ment Company. SMPTE Elects Officers NEW YORK— At the 100th Technical Con¬ ference of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers in Los Angeles, president Ethan M. Stifle announced the results of the recently concluded elections for national of¬ fice and governship. Those elected will serve two year terms, 1967 and 1968. Election results are as follows: president, G. Carleton Hunt, DeLuxe Laboratories, Inc.; executive vice-president, Deane R. White, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc.; editorial vice-president, Roger J. Ross, Cana¬ dian Broadcasting Corporation; conference vice-president, E. B. McGreal, Producers Ser¬ vice Company; secretary, H. Theodore Hard¬ ing, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc. Governors, 1967-68: eastern region — Ken¬ neth M. Mason, Eastman Kodak Company, and Arthur J. Miller, Du Art Film Labora¬ tories, Inc.; central region — William D. Hedden (re-elected), Calvin Productions, Inc., and Hans C. Wohlrab, Bell and Howell; west¬ ern region— Robert C. Hufford, Eastman Kodak Company, and Herbert E. Farmer, University of Southern California; and Cana¬ dian region — Gerald G. Graham, National Film Board. LOS ANGELES — A new program aimed at improving screen presentation in motion picture theatres is now being studied by the Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers, according to Richard J. Goldberg, SMPTE vice-president. In an announcement at the SMPTE’s 100th technical conference, meeting in Los Angeles, Goldberg emphasized the need to upgrade the projection level in motion picture theatres, and that the technical knowledge pool of the SMPTE could be put to use in this vital area. Goldberg and numbers of his committee have Robert H. O'Brien, left, president, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Inc., recently received the Anti-Defamation League's "Human Relations Award" from Harry Brandt, honorary vice-chairman of the ADL National Commission, at a luncheon at the Americana Hotel, New York. Gen. Cinema Promotes Four Theatre Executives BOSTON— The promotion of three theatre managers and one division manager was an¬ nounced by Melvin R. Wintman, executive vice-president and general manager of General Cinema Corporation. Nathan R. “Nick” Lavidor was named to the newly created post of director of advertis¬ ing. Lavidor, General Cinema veteran, was division manager of the greater Boston theatres. Bernard Depa, formerly manager, Ridge Road Drive-In, Griffith, Ind., was given super¬ vision of theatres in Griffith and Indianapolis; Cincinnati; and Columbus, Ohio. Victor E. Gattuso, who held the post of manager of the Southgate Cinema in Cleve¬ land, was given supervision of theatres in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio; Pittsburgh; and Buffalo and Rochester, N. Y. Maxwell Selver, who held the post of man¬ ager of the Fresh Pond Cinema in Cambridge, Mass., will supervise theatres in Cambridge, Norwood, Gardner, Braintree, Brockton, and Boston, all in Massachusetts. S. H. “Sy” Evans, who has been the com¬ pany’s publicity and promotion director, will also assume the duties of non-financial director of public relations. initiated a study of the problem with the intention of coming up with a new program to improve screen presentation on the local, regional and national levels. Goldberg’s group intends to evolve good practice for maintaining satisfactory quality control for the motion picture exhibitor. It is hoped that the results and recommendations of Goldberg’s study group will be presented at meetings of the National Association of Theatre Owners, and it is hoped that the SMPTE can cooperate with NATO in imple¬ menting a projection practice program. NEW BRITAIN, CONN.— Rapidly-ex¬ panding independent Connecticut circuit, Perakos Theatre Associates, will spend half a million dollars in theatre improvements, Sperie P. Perakos, vice-president and general manager, told a circuit executives-theatre man¬ agers’ meeting here. The company is spending $100,000 at the Beverly, Bridgeport; $125,000, Cinema 1, East Hartford; $125,000, Cinema 1, Bridegport; $50,000, Strand, Thompsonville (to be known now as Enfield Cinema); and $75,000, Plainville Drive-In. Company president Peter Perakos, Sr., prob¬ ably the oldest active exhibitor in America (he began operations here shortly after turnof-the-century), said, “These are exciting times. We are getting motion picture entertainment in quality we only wistfully dreamed of a few short years ago. “Pictures of the calibre of ‘The Sound Of Music’ have not only broken long-standing house records on our circuit, but have also im¬ pressed the general Connecticut community with the durability and dignity of the motion picture theatre. “We’ve got to remind town, city, and state officials on occasion,” he continued, “just how much the motion picture theatre contributes to the local community. I’m not talking essen¬ tially now of mere economic worth. I’m talking of ‘livening’ up the downtown sections. A darkened theatre means a darkened street, and this, in turn, reflects badly on the community. “The motion picture theatre brings people out for the evening in a quantity unduplicated by any other element. This is a prime ingre¬ dient of our inductry’s pride.” Brewer To AA Studio HOLLYWOOD — Roy M. Brewer, newlyelected assistant vice-president of Allied Art¬ ists, has assumed the post of studio manager, which was vacated by the retirement of George Blatchford. Brewer, who has been manager of product development for the com¬ pany, will continue to handle the west coast phase of any future product acquisition or production matters, in addition to his duties as studio manager. Brewer joined the company in 1953 as ad¬ ministrative assistant in Hollywood. In 1955, he came to New York to set up a branch op¬ erations procedure and acted as head of this department. Later, he became administrative sales assistant to Ed Morey, who was then acting as general sales manager. In February of 1965, he was appointed manager of product development. Prior to coming with Allied Artists, Brewer was in charge of the west coast office of the IA-TSE. “Coal!” To Columbia NEW YORK — Columbia Pictures has ac¬ quired distribution rights to “Goal!,” the Techniscope-Technicolor screen record of the complete 1966 World Cup series, it was an¬ nounced by Mo Rothman, Columbia vicepresident in charge of world distribution. It was revealed that sportscaster Red Barber has been signed by Columbia to narrate the film for American audiences. SMPTE Launches Program For Improved Projection November 16, 1966 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 13