Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-23

PIE WHO JuSSle Tie llIIl lIlUuSLTy |
Of 80 million weekly admissions /
ness IN subsequent years.
Business in subsequent years
velops that nobody knows how
much worse. That go million fig
ure came out of the blue, as it
we're. it is revealed by Variety,
the weekly journal of show bust
ness.
Seems that Eric Johnston,
president of the Motion Picture
Association of America, got Curl
Gus when somebody brought up
those 80 million weekly movie
goers of wonderful 1916 at a
hearing here. 1t was traced to
one of the industry'S year books.
The year book lobbed it right
back to the Motion Picture AS
ISOLATION
Mr.. Johnston felt this was foul,
out of bounds or off limits, since
his association was not counting
The customers in 1916. He pur-
sued the matter Diogenes-like
and captured the truth. An MPA
man. seeking to impress a group
of women he was addressing,
threw a round number of 80 mil
lion moviegoers at them. 1t i'm
pressed not only the women but
the entire movie-making indus
try. which has remained i'm
pressed ever since.
One educated guess, inciden-
tally, is that there were 82.4 mil
lion weekly admissions in 1916.
Another is that there we're 45.8
million in 1855. Nobody ever will
really know for any year, how
ever. Every theater manager
knows how many tickets he sold,
but he never will reveal the fig
ure to someone trying to measure
the national audience. He's
afraid the fellow across the
street might learn it. The fell
low across the street already has
been counting his rival theaters
customers. but still nobody will
talk.
* x X
NY TO LA-Ben Gazzara of
last seasons "Hatful of Rain"
has been signed to star in, Jack
Garfine to direct End AS
Man" for Sam Spiegel and CO.
lumbia Pictures. They were
teamed in the Broadway drama
tlzation of the Calder willing
ham novel in 1858. This will be
a first film chore for each. :.
AS the star of the movie version
of "Pajama Came" Doris Day
will have considerable seasoned
help. Members of the Broadway
cast already signed to repeat
their roles for the film include
Carol Haney. Thelma Polish,
Jack Waldron and Ralph Cham
bers. They'll do their Hollywood
acting while on leave of absence
from the New York company. =.
Robert Mulligan. recruited from
television. will direct The Jim
Piersall Story" for Paramount.
His most recent TV assignments
have been on MICS "Television
Playhouse. among them Joey"
which won a great deal of atten-
ton. William McGraw, New
York stage and TV actor. has
been pacted by Alfred Hitchcock
to make his screen debut with
Henry Fonda and Vera Miles in
The Wrong Man"
X u X 4
AFTER DARK-The Statler's
Embassy Room brings in its last
show of the season tonight.
Headliners are Stan Freeman,
the Jazz pianist with a sense Of
humor. and Gogi Grant. whose
recent Suddenly There's a VAL
ley" you must have heard. They'll
be on hand for two weeks. along
with Steve KiSley's orchestra
and Ted Alexander's quartet. i.
Barnee. Shoreham Blue Room S
maestro has set up as Barnee
Breeskin Inc. to serve as "en-
tertainment and music consul
tants" for all hereabouts who
need help with the entertainment
and or music. June Arnold
and her lice Capers" show have
wound up the first week of a
promised four week engagement
at the Windsor Park Hotels
Continental Room. People
are saying nice things about the
Mello-Larks, currently headlin-
ing at the Lotus. :. The Crown
Restaurant on Thirteenth street
is prying favorite recipes out of
its customers. Donor of the one
selected for Diners Favorite