STRAZ.TD%MIT-OZ%MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (07/06/83)
AP:(Overland Park, KN): A print of the film "Return of the Jedi" was stolen from a movie projectionist who was held hostage for two hours by an armed robber, police said yesterday. The projectionist, John J. Smith <really, that's his name!>, told police the robber confronted him in the parking lot of the Glenwood Theatres early yesterday and ordered him to return to the projection room. Smith said they entered the projection booth of one of the theater's screening rooms and the gunman forced him to transfer the 70mm film from large projection reels to smaller transport reels, which took about an hour. Police said the gunman then forced Smith to help him carry seven cases containing the film outside and stack them in the parking lot. The gunman ordered Smith to remain in the projection room and not to call anyone for at least 20 minutes. Then the gunman cut the telephone line and fled about 2a.m. Jim Markley, operations manager for Dickinson Theatres, which operates the Glenwood, said there would be no interruption in showing "Return of the Jedi", the third film in the "Star Wars" trilogy, because a replacement had already been found. -------