Boxoffice (Apr-Jun 1937)

Cooperation of Schools Can Be Made Profitable By GERTRUDE PEARSON New Haven, Conn. — Cooperation with the school, which has greater possibilities than most theatre men realize, can be an effective tool in selling pictures with literary, historic, or scientific backgrounds, such as the coming “Captains Courageous,” the recent “Romeo and Juliet” roadshow, the still current “Maid of Salem,” and many others. The unusual success of the Shakespearean film in Connecticut especially demonstrates what can be done along these lines. Through an intelligent discussion with principals of the merits of the picture, the manager was permitted to address numerous groups of teachers and students on all aspects of the picture and to exhibit research stills. As a result, the school bulletins publicized the picture widely. Children not only bought a substantial number of blocks of tickets for their own use, but took additional tickets to sell at home, and largely accounted for the excellent grosses. “Maytime” Gets Glee Club Tieup Admission in groups was also effected in many first run spots for “Maid of Salem,” by the managements’ distribution of study guides in the schools, exhibits of stills, and offers of special price inducements the early part of the week to groups of ten or more students. A school tieup on the current “Maytime” is being worked from the glee club angle. Since features as suitable for such tieups and as noteworthy in quality of production are not common, however, it would certainly be useful to exhibitors to know when school cooperation can be expected. Previews for Student-Teacher Groups In Bridgeport, where a program of picture appreciation, undertaken a few years ago under one of the foundations, is considered a part of the regular English course, Worcester Warren, superintendent, and other educators have drawn up an “informal understanding of conditions for cooperation between public schools and picture house managers for the promotion of high type pictures.” Although not formulated. views of other school heads, probably fit in with these. The Bridgeport “understanding" reads: 1. The management will lake the initiative of asking the superintendent for his approval of the picture. 2. The main feature will be approved if it has the approval of such organizations as the National Council of English Teachers. If it does not and seems worthy to the manager, the superintendent will request a committee possibly composed of an elementary teacher, a high school English teacher, and a parent from the City Council of PTA, and any others it seems advisable, to attend a preview of the picture. With their approval the superinten dent will give the same consideration as if approved by a national organization. So far, so good. The preview for certain teacher and student-leader groups has been used by some managers to fairly good advantage, though the outstanding productions, which have the approval of the National Council are those which the schools are most ready to publicize and secure patronage for. But the rub comes in booking the co-feature: 3. The superintendent will insist that the accompanying picture be fit for children to see. He will accept the assurance of the manager of the theatre on this until he finds this assurance unreliable, at which time he will either refuse to cooperate with the manager further or insist on a preview of every accompanying picture, no matter how worthy the main feature. Special Shows on School Holidays Here it would seem that much more could be done with special shows on weekends and other days when children attend in large numbers. For in spite of the growth of film study in the schools, and the cry for more suitable programs, there is hardly a theatre which is cooperating in this respect. In fact, during a recent school vacation of a week, not a single New Haven house had either a feature or co-feature suitable for children. There is no doubt but that parents and teachers are becoming increasingly cognizant of the force which better films can be, and which are those better films. If, as is undeniable, there are still not enough topnotchers, there is still room for much better booking and special planning with an eye to valuable school cooperation. U. S. Film Outlets Shifting Abroad New York — A dispatch to the New York Times reveals the fact that the small German-speaking countries outside the Reich are becoming a more important outlet for good American films than the 65,000,000 Germans within Germany’s borders. American distributors here have discovered that the censor shows a conscious and obvious preference for American films that are second-rate and unlikely to appeal to the public, declares the Times. It is asserted that when a group of American films is sent up to the censor the worst of the lot from the standpoint of their appeal to the public will be released and the remainder rejected. The Times reports an announcement from the Fox Film Corp. that it is synchronizing “Girls’ Dormitory” into German at the studios in Rome and other American concerns are expected to do likewise with their product. MUSIC GROUP NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE BODY New York — The board of directors of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers on Tuesday voted to reorganize its executive personnel by setting up an administrative committee, with E. C. Mills as chairman. Mills for a number of years has been general manager of Ascap. In addition to Mills, the new committee consists of John G. Paine, formerly chairman of the board of the Music Publishers’ Protective Ass’n, who has resigned to succeed Mills as general manager of Ascap, Gene Buck, Ascap president; Walter Fischer, Irving Caeser and Louis Bernstein. Harry Fox, manager of electrical transcriptions for MPPA for the past five years, assumes Paine’s former post as board chairman. FRED ROHRS IS NEW UA WASH. MANAGER Washington — Fred Rohrs succeeds Chas. Kranz as manager of the local United Artists exchange, coming here directly from the same capacity in the Atlanta branch. Rohrs is well known in the southern territory, previously being in charge of UA’s Charlotte exchange. Rohrs first became associated with United Artists as a salesman in Kansas City. Succeeding Rohrs at the Atlanta post is David Prince, former Paramount branch manager. Cecil House of San Antonio heads the Atlanta Paramount office, succeeding Prince. UNIVERSAL EXTENDS SALES DRIVE A MONTH New York — On the basis of a thorough reorganization of its studios during the first year of activity under the new regime ending April 5, Universal Pictures will extend the previously announced Grainger Month, which is being celebrated during April, to include another month of celebration during May. J. Cheever Cowdin, chairman of the board, returned to the home office Wednesday after a flying trip to the studios to witness filming of five new productions. Emil Pathe Dead Paris — Emil Pathe, pioneer motion picture producer, died Monday at Pau. With his brother, Charles, he originated the firm of Pathe Freres, famous in the history of the film industry. The company opened a Jersey City studio in 1908. In later years the firm became, in the United States, Pathe Exchange and Pathe Film Corp. At the time of his death Pathe was president of the Pathe-Marconi Co. of Paris, which manufactures radio instruments. Fred Rohrs 28 BOXOFnCE :: April 10, 1937.