Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

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4 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW October 2, 1943 88 in Production Hollywood studio production this week hit a new high with 88 pictures in various stages cf camera work, editing and scoring. The figure compares with 44 pictures in the "in production" classification tor the same week last year. The number of pictures completed and awaiting release after October stands at 116, for a total backlog of 204 as compared with 211 f:r the same week last year. Cincinnati Theatres Pay 10c Per-Seat City Tax Cincinnati Theatres now pay an annual city fee of ten cents per seat, according to a change in the ordinance which formerly called for payment according to the number of seats in the house. Amended by Council action, the ordinance now stipulates payment on the basis of 10 cents per seat, regardless of the number of seats. Previously there was a minimum charge of $100 for theatres of 300 seating capacity or less, and for each additional 100 seats an added $30, up to a maximum of $300. Attorney Saul M. Greenberg, representing the Independent Theatre Exhibitors of Cincinnati, petitioned the Council for the amendment in April, 1941. The petition complained of inequalities on this fee system, with some of the suburban theatres being forced to pay the same amount as the large downtown showhouses. Academy Members Choose New Board of Governors Members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have elected the following to the board of governors : actors, Edward Arnold, Fay Bainter, Jean Hersholt ; writers, Charles Brackett, Mary C. McCall, Jr., Seton I. Miller ; producers, Walt Disney, Y. Frank Freeman, Edward J. Mannix ; directors, Howard Hawks, Mervyn Leroy, Sam Wood ; science, Farciot Edouart, Byron Haskins, Thomas Moulton. This board will assemble within thirty days and held an election to choose officers. Three new branches of the Academy were also approved by the membership. Hereafter Nat W. Finston will represent music, John Leroy Johnston public relations, and Pete Smith short subjects. B & K Tube Damage Suit Heard Balaban and Katz, along with other property owners in the Chicago Loop district, saw the Circuit Court begin deliberating last week on their claims against, the city of Chicago, the Healy Construction Co. and the Kenny Construction Co. for damages they maintain were caused by subway building under their properties. B & K, which holds the United Artists and Roosevelt theatres were damaged, is asking $32,000. INDEX TO DEPARTMENTS Advance Dope 56 Box-Office Slants 16 Current Product Summary 63 Feature Booking Guide 57 Hollywood 54 Newsreel Syncpses 44 On the Patriot'c Front 14 Program Exchange 24 Regional News 46 Selling the Picture 23 September 1943 Index 24 Shorts Booking Guide 60 Short Subject Reviews 44 The Show Builder 35 Extended Run Policy Spreading as Result oi Big Attractions The combination of increased employment at higher wages and big pictures is proving a factor for notable change in the booking setup of the industry insofar as length of run is concerned. The extended engagements have been common in downtown metropolitan theatres, but to a constantly accelerated degree theatres . formerly on a set limited-run policy are moving over to flexible policies with a decided extension of the number of days per picture among even the smaller towns of the country. This condition is being demonstrated currently by "This Is the Army," the Warner Bros, production of Irving Berlin's show. Intensive campaigns for special premieres are being credited with a certain amount of the power which has set new playing time marks for theatres in many towns around the country. "Tliis Is the Army" already has gone into a third week in spots like Fall River, Mass., Watertown, N. Y., Youngstown, Omaha, Troy, Worcester, Harrisburg and other cities where the usual run is a single week. It ran four weeks in Reading ; is now in the sixth week in Portland, Ore., and Long Beach, Cal., after playing two houses day-and-date for the first two weeks in both cities, and in the fifth week in Denver, where it played the first two weeksin three houses day-and-date, and the next two weeks in two houses. "Army" also has gone into a second week in Newcastle, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Sioux City, la., Fort Wayne, Waterloo, Wichita, New Bedford, Fall River, Elmira, and additional time in Asheville, N. C, Connellsville, Pa., and numerous other spots where runs of such length are rare. Pittsburgh Convention Oct, 18 For 2 Regional Allied Groups Definite arrangements were completed this week for the 23rd annual convention in Pittsbu--oh of the AMPTO of Western Pennsylvania, Ind., it was announced by M. A. Rosenbcig, presment ot National Allied and the local organization. The convention will be held Monday and Tuesday, October 18-19, at the Hotel Roosevelt, Pittsburgh. George Corcoran, general chairman of the convention, has appointed the general, publicity and entertainment committees. A mideast regional Allied conference has been called in conjunction with the Western Pennsylvania convention and among leading exhibitors expected to attend this affair are Ray Branch, Michigan, regional vice-president ; Pete Wood, George W. Erdman, Willis Vance, of Ohio; Roy E. Harrold, Indiana, and Sidney Samuelson, Eastern Pennsylvania. Abram F. Myers, chairman of the National Allied's board of directors and counsel, will address the meetings. Curfew Rings Early In Curtis, Neb. What is thought to be the earliest curfew yet imposed was adopted by the council of Curtis, Neb., last week when it decided that 9 :30 was the witching hour for all minors to be off the streets. The deadline is 10:30 on Saturday nights. The city council of Sioux City, Iowa, has adopted an ordinance which provides fines of $100 or 30 days in jail for parents of children who fail to obey curfew regulations. Unescorted children under 15 must be off the streets after 10 p.m., those older than 15 after 11 p.m. No Nepotism Charlotte Christopher and Anne Columbus recently joined the staff of the Walford Theatre, Lynn, Mass., on the same day. They are not related to each other, nor to the Great Discoverer. Coe Describes Screen As Post-War Force Entertainment is the force that will knit together the post-war world, according to Charles Francis Coe, vice-president and general counsel of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, who made two speeches during the week on the general subject of the screen's place in the world scheme. Coe expounded his thesis in addresses Tuesday at a luncheon meeting of the Greater Buffalo Advertising Club and on Wednesday before the Toronto Advertising and Sales Club. If the public is to learn the ways of peace and civilization it will have to be shown, and this sort of education will come only through entertainment that can be seen and that will reach the greatest number of persons, Coe said. "In the war's crucible of blood and fire is now being distilled, I believe, a sense of common responsibility for the solution of problems that afifect the world at large," he declared. "For the camera of sound, sight and color such an awakening will make of the whole world a vibrant subject for entertainment production. American films, depicting how free men under free institutions live and love, work and achieve, will revive the spirits weakened by long years of suffering and privation. Entertainment will thus serve a great educational function. "Artistry has wedded information to entertainment. The warp and woof of screen drama are the appeals to human emotions and the informative setting of the new, the practical and the projected. Films are a mighty factor in winning the war and will be soon mightier in preserving a just and lasting peace founded upon everbroadening human understanding." Trem Carr {The Man on the Cover) Executive Director in Charge of Production, Monogram studios, Hollywood, who has contributed importantly to the recent forward progress of this vigorous and fast-growing company. Carr is one of the founders of the original Monogram company in 1928. He returned to active duty from semi-retirement in 1940 to take over the production reins of the company, launching policies through which Monogram has entered a new era of prominence and importance in the industry. SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Vol. 39, No. 11 October 2, 1943 Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Office Published every Friday by Showmen's Trade Review, Inc., 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y. Telephone URyant 9-5606. Charles E. "Chick" Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Associate Editor; Joseph H. Gallagher, Film Advertising Manager; Harold Rendall, Equipment Advertising Manager; West Coast Office. 6777 Hollywood Blvd.. Hollywood 28. California; Telephone Hollywood 2055. Ann Lewis, manager. London Representative, Milton Deane, 185 Fleet St., London E.C. 4; Australian Representative, Gordon V. Curie, 1 Elliott St., Homebush. Sydney, Australia. Subscription rates per year $2.00 in the United States and Canada; Foreign, $5.00. Single copies, ten cents. Subscribers should remit with order. Entered as second class matter February 20, 1940, at the Post Office at .\"ew York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1943 by Showmen's Trade Review Inc. Printed in U.S.A. Address all Communications to : SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1501 Broadway, New York 18, N. Y.