Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1938)

|2 MOTION PICTURE HERALD August 20, 1938 PLANS COMPLETED FOR 'MOVIE QUIZ' CONTEST; RULE BOOKLETS PREPARED Committee Expects 1 00.000,000 Entrants for National Awards; Reports Indicate Enthusiastic Cooperation by Theatre Men Plans for one of the vital elements of the industry's "Motion Pictures' Greatest Year" campaign neared completion this week with announcement of the rules for the "Movie Quiz" contest in which $250,000 is to be distributed to the theatre going public as prizes and the preparation of booklets containing the rules and the list of productions which will figure in the contest. The contest procedure has been approved by the Postoffice Department. Entrants in the contest will be required to answer questions, listed In the booklet, on 30 of the 94 pictures designated, write a 50-word appreciation of the film they consider the best, and subnnit their answers to the contest comnnlttee before midnight of December 31st. The first and second prizes will be $50,000 and $25,000. with the others ranging down to 5,000 prizes of $10 each. More than 100,000,000 of the 32 page booklets will be printed for distribution through theatres to patrons. Because of the quantity the cost to exhibitors has been kept down to $5.50 a thousand copies. The industry's message to the public, outlining its reasons for the slogan "Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment" and the official rules of the contest will preface the booklet. Billboard and newspaper advertising all over the country will acquaint the public with its existence, directing readers to ask at their local theatres for copies. The rules and the productions, as announced by the committee headed by Charles McCarthy and Robert Gillham, are listed in full on opposite page. Employees Asked to Help Theatre and exchange employees have been asked to aid in the campaign by pledging 10 acquaintances to enter the "Movie Quiz" contest. Pledge cards will be supplied to every company office in the country. Oscar Doob, chairman of the theatre committee, said employees of Loew's already have been supplied with the pledge cards and it was hoped that 100,000 entrants would be obtained through them. Other members of the theatre committee are Harry Goldberg and John Dowd. Shipment of accessories in the campaign started Friday and shipment to all branches will be completed, it is expected, by August 23. The campaign accessories will be sold through the branches at the prices listed below : 1-sheets (2 styles) 05 each 3-sheets (2 styles) 15 each 1 Standard 14"x22" window card.. .03 each 1 Jumbo (22"x28") window card.. .05 each 1 14"x36" insert card 10 each 1 22"x28" lobby card 10 each 1 40x60 35 each 1 6"x9" two color herald 1.75 per M 1 24"x82" banner card 50 each 1 24"x60" banner card 35 each 1 6'x40" giant standee 3.25 each 3 styles Small Bannerettes — size 19^"xl6" .45 each 3 Styles Large Bannerettes — size 28"x37" 65 each 3 Styles 72"x38" Horizontal Valance 1-10 each HOW EXHIBITORS CAN JOIN CONTEST To enable his patrons to e?tter the "Movie Quiz" contest an exhibitor must take the following steps: Become a participattt in the "Motion Pictures' Greatest Year" campaign by subscribing to the campaign fund at the established rate of 10 cents per seat. Arrange to book at least iO of the 94 contest pictures being released between August \st and October 31s/. Obtain his supply of the official "Movie Quiz" contest booklets containing rules and instructions for contestants and a list of the contest pictures for distribution to his patrons after September \st. Arrange for proper accessories and local advertising to call the attention of his community to his "contest" theatres and his playdates for the pictures involved. 1 Style 28-Ft. Burgee Streamer... 1.80 each 1 Set — 4 slides (sold only in sets) . .35 set Movie Quiz Books 5.50 per M Wide assortment of ad and scene mats 10 per column Trailers — 4 styles prices to come Campaign Press Books Free The first of a series of five trailers for use by exhibitors in the campaign will be ready within a few days it was said at headquarters this week. Charles B. Paine, former treasurer of Universal Pictures has been appointed to handle the financial phases of the sale and distribution of campaign accessories. James Clark is chairman of the general committee in charge and Mr. Paine will work with him and with Frank C. Walker, treasurer of the campaign. Circuit Heads Push Drive The importance of unselfish cooperation by all theatres was emphasized by Joseph R. Vogel of Loew's in a letter to all district managers, managers and theatre staffs of Loew's out-oftown circuit. Harry Goldberg, director of advertising and publicity for Warners, has addressed meetings of district managers an'^ advertising and publicity men in Chicago, Milwaukee and Washington, outlining for them the plans for the campaign. Announcement from campaign headquarters In New York on Tuesday placed the total of Industry pledges at slightly over $900,000. Indications were that the $1,000,000 goal would be reached before the end of the month. At the district and division managers' meeting held in Kansas City by National Theatres, Spyros Skouras, operating head of the circuit, pledged his company's cooperation in the campaign. All Hollywood studios will cooperate in the making of a 15 minute radio transcription whicli will trace the development of sound films for program use in connection with the industry campaign. The transcription will be prepared under the direction of the Hollywood radio committee of the drive of which Irving Rubine of Warner Brothers is chairman. Sound tracks will be contributed by studios for re-recording. These will include Al Jolson's "Mammy" song from his first sound film, Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Shirley Temple and others. Will H. Hays will contribute an introductory resume of the history of sound film. Appointment of a committee to handle special features of the campaign was announced this week by George J. Schaefer, chairman of the executive committee. Acceptances for the group have been received from Charles L. O'Reilly, chairman, of New York ; Tony Sudekum, of Nashville, Tenn. ; John Balaban of Chicago ; George W. Trendle of Detroit ; Robert J. O'Donnell of Dallas, Texas, and Charles Skouras of Los Angeles. New York Meeting Called The committee for the New York metropolitan area called a meeting for Thursday at the Hotel Astor at which more than 50 community committees were to be named to work in the five boroughs, adjoining counties, and New Jersey. Joseph Seider, Max Cohen, Harry Brandt and Irving Dollinger are co-chairmen of the metropolitan area committee. Mr. Cohen is treasurer ; Leon Rosenblatt, secretary, and Leo Abrams chairman, of the distributors' committee for the area. Committee members include Jack Bowen, Laurence Bolognino, Arthur Rapf, J. M. Hirshblond, David M. Levy, Lee Newbury, Robert Wolf, Samuel Rinzler, Edward Bell, Harry Randell, Rudolph Sanders, David Snapper, Samuel Strausberg and others. Additional regional meetings were scheduled for Seattle, St. John, N. B., Louisville and Toledo this week. Martin Smith, chairman of the Toledo committee is engineering a special exploitation fund for local parades and street decorations. Exhibitors in the Dallas territory met Monday and pledged support to the campaign after hearing detailed plans for the drive from R. E. Griffith. Plans were made for putting the drive on statewide basis with local committees in charge. Montreal exhibitors also pledged their cooperation at a meeting presided over by J. J. Fitzgibbons, chairman of the Canadian unit. Frank La Falce, Warner publicity man, has been named chairman of the publicity committee for the Washington, D. C, area. Rodney Conger has been appointed to a like position in the Baltimore territory. Exhibitor Organization Continues A large group of southern theatre men assembled in Atlanta Monday for a one day meeting to pledge support to the campaign. William K. Jenkins, general chairman, presided. Speakers included O. C. Lam of Rome, Ga. ; Roy Martin, of Columbus, Ga., and Robert Mochri. Sidney C. Davidson, former director of exploitation for Warners, has joined the campaign committee to work on general promotion and national tie-ups. Further encouragement to support the campaign was given Loew managers at a meeting at the Ziegfeld theatre. New York Monday night attended by district managers, managers and assistants of the circuit in the metropolitan area. C. C. Moskowitz, in charge of operation in the metropolitan district ; Marvin Schenck and Oscar Doob explained details of the campaign and urged every Loew theatre not only to put on a drive of its own but to cooperate with other theatres. A general committee of New Haven exhibi (Continued on page 14, column 3)