The Villa Theater of Salt Lake City won a courtesy award at the closing session Thursday of Fox Inter-Mountain Theaters.

 

The honor, which was announced during a meeting at the Hotel Utah, goes to the staff of the theater "for keeping the showhouse as near like home as possible," according to Robert W. Selig, Fox Inter-Mountain president. Dick Frisbey is manager of the Villa, which will be the site of the premiere of "South Pacific" Thursday night.

 

The Villa also received recognition from Tom Pendergast of New York, chief engineer for Magna Corp., who called it the best theater in the country for Todd-AO. He supervised installation of this equipment, which is being used for "South Pacific."

 

Mr. Selig said that plans have been developed for remodeling the Uptown Theater in Salt Lake into a stadium-type showhouse like the Villa, "but we are awaiting other development in remodeling Main Street business near the Uptown before going ahead with the work."

 

The Villa was one of four Fox Inter-Mountain Theaters receiving the courtesy award. Other similar honors went to the Fox at Boulder, Colo.; Fox, Trinidad, Colo., and the Woodlawn at Littleton, Colo.

 

Top award presented by the circuit Thursday went to Alan Bamossy, Great Falls, Mont., city manager. This was the Clayton Long Trophy for maintenance, safety, promotion, and cleanliness of theater operation.

 

Maintenance awards in the circuit were announced for Russell Snyder, Center of Denver; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Everett Newton,, Fox, Sterling, Colo., and Charlene Gavin, Fox, Missoula.

 

Keith May, manager of the Fox at Sterling won the Rhoden Weeks competition.