Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

(Continued from preceding page) to be placed under a tree in the lobby. Every 500th customer for two weeks prior to Xmas will get to select a gift from under the tree. Providence Another in a series of bomb scares, which have plagued Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts theatre managers over a period of months, recently caused the evacuation of some 200 patrons from the Palace, Cranston. However, a search revealed no bomb. . . . The Rhode Island premiere of Walt Disney’s “Secrets of Life” drew good houses at the Avon Cinema. . . . Ben Greenberg, managing director of the Stadium, Woonsocket, is offering $400 in cash prizes for a series of amateur tryouts. Every act receives a cash reward, with the first prize winner each week competing in the finals, where the grand prize is $75. . . . Phil Nemirow, RKO Albee manager, anticipating the screening of Elvis Presley in “Love Me Tender,” arranged a big exploitation program. It was highlighted by a 10-minute Presley Panel over WJAR. San Francisco “Oklahoma,” in its last weeks, has had the longest run of any musical film in town. . . . Light opera is coming to Bay Meadows race track next summer. The amphitheatre will be about 175 feet by 120, with a seating capacity of 2,000. The shows are scheduled to start June 28, and will include “The King and I,” “Showboat,” “South Pacific” and “Silk Stockings,” among others. . . . The 12th Naval District band played salty tunes in front of the United Artists to salute the opening of “The Sharkfighters.” . . . Celebrities in the Bay Area included Alfred Hitchcock, scouting Sausalito for his next picture. . . . Clark Gable saw the screening in Sacramento of his picture, “A King and Four Queens.” St. Louis The merchants of Gillespie, 111., recently issued tickets to the Canna theatre in that city free to children fourteen years and under. . . . The Majestic drive-in in East St. Louis, 111., has a children’s playground which provides a real fire truck ride. . . . The Uptown theatre at Alton, 111., has a new wide screen. . . . William Moore, producer-photographer of TravelWorld Picture Productions, was in Tipton, Mo., recently looking over the field as a possible site for picture production. . . . An elaborate new entertainment facility is being established in the former Crittenden Theatre in West Memphis, Ark. ... A benefit of “Solid Gold Cadillac” was presented recently at the Princess theatre, Champaign, 111., to raise funds for the enlargement of the Burnham Hospital in that city. Toronto A1 Iscove was appointed sales representative of 20th Century-Fox here under Victor Beattie. Iscove was recently with Paramount as a special representative and later Toronto branch manager. . . . Loran Wambach was moved from Halifax by Odeon Theatres to take charge of the circuit’s Odeon in North Sydney and Strand in Sydney Mines, both locations suburbs of Sydney, Nova Scotia. ... A benefit show for the Expansion Fund of the Ross Memorial Hospital, Lindsay, was held at the Century, through the courtesy of manager Ken Garbig and Twentieth Century Theatres. . . . Robert Christie was moved from the Odeon, Kingston, to the Christie, Toronto. He was replaced by E. D. Burrows, formerly of the Odeon, Brantford, while G. E. Foley of the Odeon, Trenton, became manager of the Biltmore, Kingston. . . . Mrs. Eva Delaney, 64, connected with the operation of the Delaney, Gananoque, for many years, died. Vancouver A week of record fog and start of Christmas shopping is keeping grosses down in most theatres. But “Giant” continues to be the town’s blockbuster in its second week, with turnaways helping other downtown theatres. . . . Ivan Ackery, manager of the FPC Orpheum, is convinced that “good films of unconventional length are appreciated here” and is in favor of playing the long running pictures on a two-a-day basis. . . . Dave Borland, Dominion manager, and Bill Myers, of the Plaza, are on delayed holidays. . . . Frank Gilbert, veteran projectionist at the Paradise, is off on a three-month trip to Mexico. . . . Wally Hopp, former manager of the International-Cinema, is now in California with the Coca-Cola outfit, in charge of the unit servicing theatres. . . . The FPC Alma, which recently opened after being dark for a vear, is not clicking. The employees all being given two week’s notice. . . . Several other houses now reopened are having a bleak time and may close also. Washington Mrs. Sara S. Young, 20th Century-Fox booker, spent the Dec. 1 weekend in Boston visiting her sister, who underwent surgery. . . . Ida Barezofsky, MGM booker, vacationed in Miami Beach. . . . The Board of Governors of the Variety Club met on December 3 at the Willard Hotel. . . . Jay Carmody, drama editor of the Washington Evening Star, has joined the drama panel of the International Exchange Program. . . . Jay Perri, of Station WEAM, was named as the voice with the most “Friendly Persausion,” in a recent contest in connection with the Ontario theatre’s engagement of the picture. . . . “Anastasia” is booked for Loew’s Capitol December 22. “Teahouse of the August Moon” will play Loew’s Palace Dec. 23. . . . And “The Girl Can’t Help It” will open at Loew’s Columbia Dec. 22. . . . The Capitol Hill theatre has inaugurated a policy of Friday “family nights.” One 90cent ticket will admit a family. Honor Hershfield Harry Hershfield was honored as “Mr. New York” at a recent testimonial dinner given by the New York Committee of the Jewish National Home for Asthmatic Children at Denver. The event was held at the Waldorf-Astoria. Edison Media Awards Made In New York The official presentations of the 1956 Edison Foundation National Mass Media Awards for films, television and radio were made by Edison Foundation trustees December 3 at a Waldorf-Astoria dinner in New York. Gregory Peck received from Mary Pickford, in her capacity as trustee of the Edison Foundation, the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation Award to “Moby Dick” for being “The Film Best Serving the National Interest” in 1956. Mr. Peck’s acceptance was transcribed from Hollywood. “Wide Wide World” won the television award as “The television program best portraying America.” “Disneyland,” (ABC) was named “The Best Children’s Television Program.” Announced as “best children’s film” was Disney’s “The Great Locomotive Chase.” “On the Threshold of Space” was named “The Best Science Film for Youth.” Station KRON-TV of San Francisco, California, was named “The Television Station that Best Served Youth” in 1956, and Station WOWO, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was named “The Radio Station that best served youth in 1956.” Each station received a scroll and won for a high school senior in its community an Edison scholarship of $1,000 to be used toward college education. Both stations are affiliated with NBC. A special citation was made to New York City’s municipal broadcasting station, WYNC, for its recently established Annual Science Seminar. In presenting the award to Mr. Peck, Miss Pickford described the film as “a magnificent motion picture that says great things about America’s past.” Miss Pickford explained that this award to a film best serving the national interest had been created by the Foundation “to encourage the films that portray America in a manner aimed at increasing understanding, both at home and abroad, of our wonderful country.” In all, some 62 organizations are cooperating with the Edison Foundation in the Awards program to improve the quality of the mass media offerings, especially as they affect juvenile audiences and interest boys and girls in science. Paramount Asks 7,000 Francs for "War” PARIS: Paramount here is reported to have asked for permission to charge 1,000 francs each for seats when “War and Peace” opens December 12 in seven different Paris cinemas. The Exhibitors Syndicate protested vigorously against this demand, however, claiming that such a charge for seats was not even made in the United States, where the top price was $2. 38 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 8, 1956