Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

S 1 1 ( > M F. N ' S T R A I ) K V V. V \ K W Page 3 The Editorial Page Strange Bedfellows What significance, if any, should be placed upon the surprising, brotherlylove gesture between Brandt of N. Y. itOA and Cohen of N. Y. Allied? In some circles, the ITOA is considered the arch enemy of Allied and in still other circles, Cohen is beginning to leave the impression that he is not as proAllied as the name of his unit would imply. At the present writing we find ITOA throwing its full weight behind the coming Allied Convention and Exposition to be held in New York later this month. It would have appeared far more natural for them to be throwing monkey-wrenches instead. It is wonderful to see such brotherly-love and cooperation between these two leaders and their organi2;ation3 and we wish we could feel confident that all is as it appears on the surface. But somehow or other it seems to portend something or other. Would you care to venture a guess? A A Dog Racing Of all the vicious forms of movie theatre competition. Dog Racing is about the worse for more reasons than it should be necessary to list here. Unfortunately, in the customary picture business fashion, theatremen fail to pay much attention to this rapidly spreading evil until it reaches right into their own communities. Then they start getting excited and trying to get rid of them. The time to fight dog racing is long before it becomes a possibility. Immediate steps should be taken to see that local ordinances or state laws are passed making such a so-called sport illegal in your town and state. After such a plant opens it becomes increasingly difficult to dislodge it. But you can beat them to the punch by making it impossible in the first place. Fortunately, you will not lack for supporters to back you up. Every church, civic-minded citi7;en and all of your local welfare and other organizations will help you make dog racing a definitely tabooed "sport'" if you do your fighting now. A A A The Exhibitor's Task In Atlantic City at the Columbia Convention, Jack Cohn, voiced an opinion that coincides with STR's viewpoint of many years' standing. Namely; that theatremen in general must not depend upon the distributors to sell the pictures to the public but should do that themselves. Smart showmanship and aggressive selling of the picture to the community have been coming back strongly for the past year or two. Prior to that time the general readjustment of the theatre business brought such activity to its lowest point in many years. While we are inclined to the feeling that a national advertising campaign, such as was waged last fall, serves a good purpose, the important selling of a theatre's attractions must emanate from the local theatre and not from a nationally conducted advertising campaign. While it is true that the latter is helpful it comes practically to naught when not supported by local activity. Showmanship, like charity, begins (and ends) at home. A A More Wasted Effort That ol' debbil, the "double feature", again enters the national spot-light through the medium of a national campaign being sponsored by the Fawcett Publications and their Screen Boo\ tAagazine. And of course if the vote is a landslide against duals the natural result is supposed to bring about their elimination, which, as we all know, is a lot of bunk; as witness the past polls and surveys in which a given community voted against doubles almost nine to one . . . but patroni2,ed the theatres playing the doubles. Making propaganda out of an industry problem or practice is getting old and creaky but with a little encouragement anyone will try anything . . . especially when it will boost circulation and revenue for the sponsor. The double feature is a problem only insofar as it affects the industry and it will never be eliminated until ALL exhibitors throughout the country agree to it unanimously, which is just about as simple, right now, as growing a pair of wings and flying to the moon. A A Legislative Problems Not until your state legislature adjourns can you con' sider your work for the law-making season finished. If you have been fortunate, thus far, in keeping adverse legislation or back-breaking taxes from being heaped upon your already over-burdened shoulders, you are indeed to be congratulated. But beware of those last-minute fast ones that slip through because you relax your vigilance and then make all of your previous efforts null and void. A constant and close watch must be maintained every minute of the time the law-makers are in session. Don't take anything for granted. Any sudden necessity for increasing revenue may bring about the introduction of a measure that can cost you plenty of money and grief. — 'QUICK' LEWIS