Now Playing: DEC. 31, 1962

Our visit to the moviegoing world of fifty years ago draws to a close with a night of New Year's Eve previews and premieres. There's a "First Night" quality to the newest offerings touted as the first hits of 1963. As opposed to many of the prestige pictures and roadshows that opened in December, these last and first pictures are wide releases opening all over the place. Here are two such new arrivals in Toledo.

In Milwaukee, one theater chain has both pictures and advertises them together.

Comedy predominates this festive night, and Pittsburgh doesn't buck that trend.

Miami does, however. In some places, any holiday is the right time for this kind of show ... and maybe it still is comedy, after all.

Some people may welcome 2013 at the movies tonight, but I'm not aware of any new releases to herald the new year. In theory, of course, a TV station could schedule a marathon of the sort of movies Miami was seeing, but most stations aren't quite that imaginative. A different kind of showmanship prevailed in 1962, as our trip back in time has amply shown. Where -- or when -- will we end up next? Watch this space to find out!...