Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1939)

Page 6 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW October 21, 1939 AWARDSMADE Washington Crowd of 3, 000! FILL BOARD AT SMPE MEET Greets "Mr. Smith" Premiere OF TRUSTEES Presentation, Dinner Climax Convention Climaxing the fall convention of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers which began Monday and closed Thursday following additional technical sessions in the morning and afternoon, the annual banquet was held Wednesday evening in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Pennsylvania during which the Annual Progress Medal of the SMPE was awarded to Dr. Loyd A. Jones of the Eastman Kodak Laboratories in recognition of his contributions to motion picture technology. At the same time, the Society's Journal Award for the outstanding paper published in its Journal during the year was presented to Dr. Herbert T. Kalmus, president of the Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. More than 50 technical papers and a number of demonstrations v\'ere included in the four-day convention. Welcoming the delegates on behalf of the city at the informal luncheon held Monday noon, Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia urged motion picture producers to Political, Journalistic Notables Attend Gala Opening in Capital A ci"o\vcl of 3,000 notables in the political and journalistic worlds attended the world pfemiere of "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington," Frank Capra's latest picture for Columbia release. ^The affair was held last Tuesday evening in the D.A.R. Constitu give more consideration to New York for the production of motion pictures. He stated he would like to see the industry return to New York. Others who spoke at the luncheon were W. G. Van Schmus, managing director of the Radio City Music Hall, and Rep. Bruce Barton. Technical papers were read at Tuesday morning's business session by Loren L. Ryder of Paraniount's studio in Hollywood, and R. Kingslake of the Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N. Y. A demonstration of Bell Laboratories' "Vocoder" or "voice coder" was made to the delegates. At the election of officers Monday morning, A. S. Dickinson, SMPE financial vice-president, and J. Frank, Jr., were returned for additional terms. D. E. Hyndman of the Eastman Kodak Co., was elected engineering vice-president, and R. O. Strock, of the Eastern Service Studios, was chosen treasurer. U-BOATJ TODAY'S HEADLINES TAKE THE SIDELINES! MARI WILLIAM PENN HOTEL OCT. tSSS Presented in honor oj Retiring Chief Barker *AT| HOW YEA, BARKERS! lENT No. I -.1 »o»' "..l..ra ol pl.—" GAME . • TECH vs. NOTRE DAME Write or V/irt JOHN H. HARRIS Wm. P."" $}.10 tni BAMUET SIO.OO IRA H. COHN And Hi. Aisociale 0/)<«" C. C. Kellenb»rq Jake Solh C. J. Latta Joieph Miirach Al Welis Harry Seed Julei Upitlu« Al Weiblinger M. Shapiro H. Fcinltein 1 Ith YEAR And Still the Most Disfmctive ■ • Amencal nd Original Banquet in tion Hall in Washington. The showing set a precedent by being sponsored bv the National Press Club. The great number of leading newspapermen present made the affair a spectacular success from the publicity standpoint as it was from all other angles. Stories were filed to practically every important paper in the country describing the premiere and the picture in glowing terms. Most of the newspapermen were Washington correspondents whose familiarity with the political scene insured their interest from the start. Officialdom turned out en masse for the affair with Senators and Representatives in such numbers as are often not seen on the floor of Congress itself and enough Cabinet members to make almost a quorum in the executive branch as well, with enough judges to render a decision that would be accepted anywhere, Columbia executives included Harry and Jack Cohn, Nate Spingold, Abe Montague, Abe Schneider and many others. Leading exhibitors from the surrounding territory were also invited as were the publishers of the industry's trade papers. Great applause greeted the unreeling of the film and Frank Capra himself, came in for special attention at a Press Club lunchen in his honor. Among the speakers were W. G. Van Schmus, managing director of the Radio City Music Hall where the picture opened on Thursday, Harry Club, President Arthur Hachten of the Press Club and Capra himself. Six Named By Coast Exhibitor Group i Rotus Harvey and Ben Levin were named trustees of the Independent Theatre Owners of Northern California, thus completing the board of trustees for the Pacific Coast Conference of Independent Theatre Owners, which was recently formed by the ITO of Southern California and Arizona, MPTO of the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern California organization. Previously named as trustees were L. O. Lukan and William Ripley for the Pacific Northwest group and Jack' Y. Berman and Hugh W. Bruen for the southland group, with Mrs. Jennie Dodge as alternate trustee. In addition to his accomplishments in the field for the independent exhibitor, Harvey is vicepresident and general manager of the Harvey Amusement Co. of Northern California. Skouras N. Y. Theatres Show Business Gain Giving credit for the rise in patronage to the run of big pictures released by all companies, Dillon Krepps, district manager, declared business in Skouras' New : York City theatres was running ■ approximately' 40 per cent ahead J of the corresponding period last i year. Also indicated as a possible j factor was more employment. i "Mr. Smith" and lots of other people went to Washington. In the top photo are Harry Cohn, president of Columbia, Arthur Hachten, president of the Press Club, which sponsored the Washington premiere and Frank Capra, who directed the picture. In the lower photo, left to right, front row are: Leonard Gaynor, Bland Johaneson, Daily Mirror; Maurice Kann, A. Montague, Columbia General Sales Mgr., and Arthur James. Rear Row: "Chick " Lewis, Don Mersereau, Jack Cohn, Vice-President of Columbia; A. Schneider, Treasurer, Columbia; Chester Bahn, Leo jaffe, Ass't to A. Schneider, and Maurice A. Bergman, Columbia's Director of Publicity and Advertising.