Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1939)

Page 30 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 24, 1939 IN TfriE MCM A fortlicoming Harman subject, "Goldilocks And The Three Bears," now in its final stages, will be released as the first extra length cartoon of the current series. beloved songs of Carrie Jacobs Bond, and a group of the nation's best known college songs. Both reels are scheduled to enter production in mid-Juh'. RKO-Radio Two-thirds of Walt Disney's schedule of short subjects for next year have already been completed. Twelve of the shorts, out of the seasonal eighteen, are finished while two others are in production now. It will definitely be a Donald Duck year due to popular demand of the public to see more of the belligerent Donald, although Mickey Mouse will come in for a share of stellar billing, too. Some of the completed shorts that Donald Duck will star in are : "The Riveter," "Officer Duck," "The Billposters," "Donald's Dog Laundry," "Donald's Date," 'Donald's Vacation," "Donald's Outboard," "Tugboat Mickey" and "^fountain Carvers.' Jan Leman, director and writer of Columbia's^ "Fools Who Made History" series, is making a hurried trip to San Francisco this week for further research on noted figures being considered for the series. Leman will spend several days in the Hubert Howe Bancroft library at the University of California. First of tiie "Fools Who Made History" series is scheduled to go before the cameras July 10. It is "The Story of Elias Howe," inventor of the sewing machine, and is to be followed immediately b}' an enactment of the epoch-making achievement of Charles Good3'ear, who brought rubber into general use. The series of six productions, will be made under the supervision of Hugh McCollum. Vitaphone National release date of "Bill of Rights", historical featuret in Technicolor, has been finally set for July 4 to coincide with that anniversary. Columbia LeRoy Mason, Dick Boteler and Ernie Adams this week were added to the roster of the new chapter play entitled "Overland With Kit Carson", in which Bill Elliott and Iris Meredith have the leading roles. The story is built around the exploits of the famous frontiersman and scout in the torrid days of the early West. Norman Deming and Sam Nelson are the directors. Richard Fiske, Trevor Bardette and Dick Curtis have already been engaged for this feature. The four King Sisters, featured vocalists who reached the screen via radio, have been penciled-in for an early one-reel musical in the Community Sing series of shorts. Sings now in preparation, under the supervision of Hugh McCollum, include a medley of the world Davis Uses Smart Exploitation Tactics in Seling Short Subjects Localizing state pride in an Indiana composer, Louis Davis of the Vernon Theater, Mt. Vernon, Indiana, pla3-ed up the Paramount Headliner, "Paramount Presents Hoagy Carmichael" to grab the jitterbug trade. In newspaper ads and a special one-sheet card out front, Davis played up: "Hear Indiana's Own Hoagy Carmichael's Famous Melodies — 'Star Dust', 'Two Sleepy People', 'Washboard Blues', 'Lazy Bones', 'Rockin' Chair', 'That's Right!', '.Small Fry'." Another short which Davis effectively blew up to mean something was MGM's Pete Smith Specialty, "Heroes at Leisure", showing California lifeguards "going native" in the offseason. Davis gave the "life and death" struggles with the shark a thrill-box play in newspaper ads and in the one-sheet out front: "Thrills! Thrills! Thrills! See a Man in a Life-and-Death Battle With a Man-Eating Shark! See a Man Fight for His Life in a Battle With an Octopus! Thrill to Pete Smith's 'HEROES AT LEISURE'. Thrill to Life-and-Death Battles in the Ocean's Depths!" . . NEWSREEL SYNOPSES . . (Released Wednesday, June 21) PARAMOUNT (No. 92) — Britain prepares homecoming for monarchs; King and Queen embark from Canada; Ray Winters "bailed out" of parachute tower; English stars at garden party for London charity; W. J. Eck buys first Clipper ticket; "Liquid coal" makes debut as auto fuel at Chicago; California U wins Ponghkeepsie Regatta; Invitation Mile at Princeton, N. J. MOVIETONE (Vol. 21, No. 81)— King and Queen sail for England ; Trooping of Colour in London ; Atlantic Clipper makes preview flight; Cruisers stage equator-crossing rites'; 'King and Queen of Cotton crowned in North Carolina; Arizona drum and bugle corps at San Francisco Fair; Philadelphia debutantes model for charity; Lew Lehr and stratosphere wedding; Finland's minister pays war debt; Henry Ford and family at N, Y. Fair; William Strang flies to Russia ; Prince Teh rules inner Mongolia ; Sweden's King Gustav presents colors on Flag Day; Frawn wins Ascot Stakes; Helen Dettweiler wins Women's Western Open Golf title; National Collegiate track and field meet at Los Angeles; Fenske wins Invitation Mile at Princeton, N. J.; Strafaci beats Chapman in New York golf; Gov. Stark of Missouri speaks on crime. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 10, No. 279)— King and Queen sail for England; London "Troops the Colour"; Atlantic Clipper on preview flight; Finland's minister pays war debt; France honors Marshal Joffre; Italy's legions home from Spain; Fenske wins Invitation Mile at Princeton, N. J.; California U wins Poughkeepsie Regatta. PATHE (Vol. 10, No. 96)— Majesties end North American tour; Finland meets war debt installment; Kennedy receives Cambridge degree; Axis legions return from Spain; California U wins Poughkeepsie Regatta; London "Troops the Colour"; National Collegiate track meet at Los Angeles; Fenske wins In vitation Mile at Princeton, N. J.; Missouri fans honor Pepper Martin. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 11, No. 781)— King and Queen sail for England; 30 off for Europe on Clipper; London "Troops the Colour"; Fenske wins Invitation Mile at Princeton, N. J.; California U wins Poughkeepsie Regatta; Henry Ford at N. Y. Fair; France honors Marshal Joffre; Italian legions home from Spain; New Russian envoy only 37; Finland meets war debt installment; Old folks hold convention at Kansas City, Mo. (Released Saturday, June 24) PARAMOUNT (No. 93)— Harvard confetti day; Squalus inquiry; Minnesota tornado; Brazilian General on tour; Viking ship in N. Y. ; Fire in Chinatown, N. Y. ; Gehrig has paralysis; Track meet at Los Angeles; Louis and Galento in training. MOVIETONE (Vol. 21, No. 82)— Storm at sea; Brazilian General on tour; Viking shin in N. Y.; Harvard confetti day; Airliner christened; Gehrig has paralysis; Australian trotting race; Louis and Galento in training. NEWS OF THE DAY (Vol. 10, No. 282)— Far East crisis; Minnesota tornado; Viking ship in N. Y.; Harvard graduation; Missouri chief urges clean government; Ohio Day at N. Y. Fair; Swimming pool is dedicated; Miss Britannia vocalizes to keep fit; Gehrig has paralysis; Louis and Galento training. PATHE (Vol. 10, No. 97 )— Brazilian General on tour; Minnesota tornado; Health and beauty league; Squalus inquiry; Viking ship in N. Y.; Salvage ship Falcon ; Chestnut three dance. UNIVERSAL (Vol. 11, No. 782)— Viking ship in N. Y.; Brazilian General on tour; Fire in Philadelphia; Minnesota tornado; Baby boy predicter has girl; "Sandy" gets haircut; Model of S. S. Queen Mary; Children's Day in England; Gehrig has paralysis; Chicago midget auto race; Skiing in Seattle. FIRST RUN SHORT PRODUCT BROADWAY, NEW YORK (Week Beginning June 24) ASTOR — Prophet Without Honor (MGM) rev 6-17-39. CRITERION— Music Box (MGM) re-issue H.illy\v(^i:a Hobbies (MGM). PARAMOUNT— Ghosks is the Bunk (Para); Death Valley Thrills (Para.) ; Popular Science No. 5 (Para.) rev. 6-3-39. RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL— War, Peace an<l Propaganda (M of T— RKO) rev. 6 10-39. RIALTO— The Whalers (RKO) rev. 9-3-38 Sportnig Irish (Para.) rev. 3-4-39. RIVOLI — Guatemala (Para.) rev. 8-27-38 Goofv and Wilbur (RKO). ROXY— Nick's Coff-ee Pot (20th-Fox) ; Sports Immortals (20th-Fox). STRAND— The Right Way (Vita.); Naughty But Mice (\'ita.). CHICAGO LOOP (Week Ending June 24) APOLLO— Rural Hungary (MGM) rev 6-17 3''; lloljo Gadget Band (Vita.). GARRICK— Polar Pals (Vita.) rev. 6-17-39 ROOSEVELT— Home Early (MGM) rev! thi., i>sue; Culinary _ Carving (MGM) • Ghosks IS the Bunk (Para.). McCary Wows 'Em Wifh Ferdinand'' Campaign Folks down in Corsicana, Texas, are well aware of the fact that the Palace Theatre plays short subjects. We wish that was the case in every city in the United States, for then many of those excellent one and tworeelers would be getting the attention they deserve. Well, at any rate, Terry McCarv is doing his best, and succeeding, incidentallj", to make sure that every short with selling possibilities gets its full measure of exploitation. The case in point this time is "Ferdinand the Bull," Walt Disney's Technicolor cartoon. Terry directed his campaign to the students and children; to the former, because they'd come in couples, and the latter because they'd probably bring along an adult. One of the wooden Ferdinands was promoted and placed on display in the lobby with copy reading, "I'm coming Friday and Saturday. Full of fun, etc." The staff made a large setpiece using the two-page spread as run by Life. This display was unusually large and could not escape the attention of patrons and passers. Terry promoted a large bouquet of mums from a local florist to adorn the box office. Using a small bull looking toward the flowers, an accompanying card read, "To 'Ferdinand the Bull,' because he does so love beautiful flowers— from Clowe Floral Co." In advance of, and during the engagement, two cows were led around town carrying this copy, "This Ain't No Bull! Something to laugh at— Something to remember— 'Ferdinand the Bull' at the Palace, etc." Spot announcements were made over the radio. Two LS-minute programs were broadcast, the chief center of which was an unusual recording of "Ferdinand." Scripts written by the theatre staff concerning local contest were carried over the air. In the newspapers, Terry featured the cartoon ahead of his feature picture until lie was sure everyone was coming to see the cartoon —then he switched the order and plugged the feature. A reader was obtained, which according to Palace manager, is a rarity. Heralds were distriliuted to students through the cooperation of the principals. At one school a display was made using the heralds and also an ad on a word contest. Terry put over a swell contest which he declares could be used on other pictures, too. A certain number of people were provided with passes. If someone said "Ferdinand the Bull" to one of them, he had to turn over his pass. This person, in turn, had to turn the pass over to another person if that person uttered the magic words.