Kinematograph year book (1944)

Overseas. 15 The trend at the year's end is away from double bills. Scores of theatres which switched from doubles to singles when playing a particularly outstanding picture are continuing with singles with no complaint from the customers. Drive-in Theatres are pretty much in hibernation and probably will be for the duration. The educational films field is practically at a standstill in so far as new development is concerned, but post-war possibilities appear tremendous as a result of the general realisation of the value of the screen in teaching on behalf of the war effort. The Government has approved the manufacture of only 100 projectors for 1944, and these will be " issued " only for replacements of machines destroyed in fires or other catastrophes. Theatre supply dealers now are required to obtain Governmental permission to sell even second-hand equipment. Equipment manufacturers have adopted a plan whereby exhibitors now place orders for post-war equipment anticipations for fulfilment in sequence when manufacturing is permitted to resume. Necessity for remodelling theatres, now prevented, is seen as a tremendous post-war item. One of the biggest headaches of the year in physical theatre operation has been the vandalism of juveniles which has cost untold damage in the destruction of theatre fixtures — seats, washrooms, carpets, and such. At the specific request of exhibitors, Hollywood studios have been producing both features and shorts to influence the youngsters against such acts. Canada has been similarly affected. Many cities have adopted nightly curfews to keep children indoors, with stiff penalties for parents of those found in violation. Principal reason for the behaviour is the lack of parental jurisdiction because of the engagement of elders in war work, with war hysteria and greater independence growing in youngsters working in war plants and making high wages being contributing factors. The manpower situation is, as would be expected, on the short side. Theatre help is very limited and the turnover is terrific. Managers in some places in the midwest, for example, have been forced to do their own furnace firing. Because of the stringent limitations on new membership, preventing the entrance into the unions of any large numbers of " young blood," the prevailing age of projectionists is higher than draft requirements, resulting in comparatively few losses in that class. Some distributors have been able to secure service deferments of key exchange workers, because of the need for keeping theatres running for morale purposes, as requested by frequent Government expression. The industry throughout has been proceeding on the premise that a supply of film should be maintained. Twentieth Century-Fox during the year acquired the stock of Chase National Bank in National Theatres, in which it was a partner, giving 20th full control of more than 500 houses on the West Coast. Movements of executive personnel during the year were numerous in the direction of war services, but executive movements within the industry were at a comparative low. Among changes were : Claude Saunders became assistant to William F. Rodgers at M-G-M ; Stanley Shuford was named Paramount advertising manager ; Al Sindlinger went from March of Time to the Gallup Institute ; Paul Lazarus, Jnr., was named advertising-publicity head of United Artists ; Maurice Silverstone assumed the post of foreign executive for Twentieth Century-Fox ; Charles Koerner signed a new sevenyear contract as head of RKO studios ; William Goetz resigned as 20th-Fox studio executive to form International Pictures ; W. J. Heineman became sales manager for Samuel Goldwyn ; Joseph M. Schenck took over 2Qth-Fox production in Hollywood ; Darryl Zanuck returned to 20th from Army service ; Louis DeRochemont resigned as head of March of Time to become a 20th-Fox production executive ; his brother Richard succeeded him at MOT ; Stanton Grifhs left Paramount, as chairman of the executive committee, to head-up the film bureau of the Office of War Information ; Ben Pivar got a studio executive post at Universal.