Motion Picture Herald (1954)

Texas COMPO Puts On a 11 r03€PI Show An attractive and colorful display of Miss Edith Head’s five Academy Award winning gowns and many of her other costume creations was arranged and presented by R. J. O’Donnell, president of Interstate Circuit, in the Women’s Building of the Texas State Fair in Dallas, October 9th to 24th. The outstanding exhibit is drawing tremendous crowds and blocks traffic for the two fashion shows, at 5 and 8 p. m. daily. More than thirty Women of the Motion Picture Industry — the WOMPI’s — have assisted in making this exhibit truly representative of Hollywood by modeling the 21 costumes, some from “White Christmas’’ and “The Eddie Foy Story” — not yet released. Edith Head arrived from the Paramount studio by plane, bringing four more costumes from “Catch a Thief’ and “Lucy Gallant.” At a dramatic presentation and banquet in the Fashion Arts Theatre of the Texas Fair, Miss Head did her own commentary, with executives and leaders in distribution and exhibition in Texas as guests. What we like about the fashion show was the modeling done by members of WOMPI in Texas — and we wish we had better photos for reproduction. But anyone can see that these Texas gals have real talent, in motion picture industry or in movie costumes. Among those who took part in the preparation and presentation of the exhibit were Karen Allen, Leon Theatres; Sue Benningfield, Texas COMPO; Louise Clark, Trans-Texas Theatres, Inc.; Peggy Cowen, Columbia Pictures Corp. ; Barbara Davis, Columbia Pictures Corp. ; Lela Dawdy, Interstate Theatres; Margaret Falls, Falls Theatre Service; Flo Gann, Universal Film Exchange ; Joyace Gannaway, Interstate Theatres ; Mary Ruth Gannaway, Interstate Miss Edith Head, costume designer for Paramount, with Grace Sprague, sketch artist, seen in action over the drawing board at the Hollywood studio, where so many Award winning costumes have been created. Theatres; Helen Jane Hahn, Allied Theatre Owners of Texas; Gerry Hill, Interstate Theatres, Phyllis Jones, Interstate Theatres; Bonnie Kee, Interstate Theatres; Donna Leyrer, RKO Radio Pictures; Betty Newell, Interstate Theatres; Verlin Osborne, Paramount Picture ; Marie Powers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures; Wanda Rimrner, Interstate Theatres; Jane Scott, Texas Cinerama Corp. ; Margie Seeley, 20th Century Fox Film Corp.; Patrica Sells, Buena Vista Films; Joyce Smith, Southwestern Theatre Equipment Co. ; Marilou Smith, Interstate Theatres; Billie Stevens, Rowley United Theatres; Lavelle Theilen, Interstate Theatres; Betty Trotter, Interstate Theatres; Billie Webb, 20th Century Fox Film Corp.; Rosemary White, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and Ruth Woodard, Metro-Goldwvn-Mayer Pictures. Kessler Itas Solution for Delinquency Manager Walter Kessler of Loew’s Ohio, Columbus, has been showing what can be done to re-direct the energies of youthful delinquents into constructive' channels. One recent example involved 30 members oi Sigma Rho fraternity, a social group composed of boys from Upper Arlington High School in the richest suburb of Columbus. The boys attempted to disrupt a performance at the theatre with bean shooters. They became so noisy and unmanageable that the one policeman on duty had to call for reinforcements. After talking with the ringleaders, Manager Kessler arranged to meet with the entire fraternity. Instead of “bawling them out,” as one of the boys said he expected, Mr. Kessler outlined a program of constructive projects which the boys could engage in for the betterment of the community and for their own advancement. The boys agreed and have been working with the Northwest Kiwanis Club in various civic projects. They have been bringing handicapped persons to the high school football games and have assisted in organizing a Mothers’ Club, which is acting as chaperones and advisors. The club passed an amendment to the bylaws which stated that any member guilty of unbecoming conduct in a public place would be expelled. Kessler said that he plans to continue to work with parents and other individuals and groups in similar programs. He said that for the past several years he has found the most effective way to deal with the individual offenders is to call the parents immediately and give them the choice of coming to the theatre or having their sons turned over to the police. Disc Jockey Plays A Publicity Trick Jimmie Thames sends a tear sheet of the editorial page of the Arkansas Gazette, from Little Rock, with the comment on a discjockey stunt which sounds simple but proved terrific. For a solid hour, the disc jockey announced title after title, but he always played one selection only — “Hold My Hand” from “Susan Slept Here.” No comment— strictly dead-pan. The telephone rang continuously— the editor said next day it was “a laboratory case of getting public attention”— and whether he liked it or not, when the station shut down, there was a crowd waiting to find out what was going on. The newspapers had to follow up the next day with the explanation. It sounds simple — but deadly— and if you have the courage to try it let us know how it turns out with your listening audience. The music shop that sponsored the radio time had an ample stock of the Cornell recording, and plenty of people were asking for it. Si Seadler sends us the above photograph of the front display at the Town theatre in Baltimore, and says he is especially interested in the showmanship job that young Bob Rappoport is doing down there. Si likes to see the second generation of industry showmen carrying on even more enthusiastically than their Dads. Bob makes good use of a 24-sheet out front, and utilizes every channel of promotion to roll up hefty grosses. 38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 30, 1954