Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1943)

October 2, 1943 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 13 FILM TRADE TRAVEL LOG Arthur Willi, RKO Radio's talent haivkshazv, 71011' ill Chicago on the lookout for star material. Harold F. IV end t, head of the VVendt Advertising Agency, Toledo, in Neiv York this week on business. Sidney Lanfield, Paramount director, lately arrived in New York from the coast. He's looking over current crop of stage plays. Dr. Carlos Rocha, 20th Century-Fox publicity representative in Cuba, visiting in New York. G. L. Carrington, president of Altec Lansing, in Neztf York from the coast. Hal B. Wallis, Warner producer, off for the coast after ten days in Washington and Manhattan. James Mulvey, sales representative for Cagney Productions, back in New York from the coast. William Cagney vice versa. Edward Schnitzer, Western division manager for UA, starting from Chicago, is covering exchanges in Mihvaukee, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis. Herb Ellisburg, owner of the Studio Theatre, Chicago, in Ne\w York on business. Walter Gould, foreign manager for UA, down in Mexico on company business. Will be there another iveek. Bob Hussey, Universal radio head, in New York from L. A. to work up international broadcast in behalf of "Corvette K-22S." Harry M. Bessey, secretary-treasurer of Altec Service, back in Nezv York from a six-week trip to the Southtvest and the coast. 100 Film Executives Invited To Serve on AMPA Committee With more than 100 industry executives invited to serve on the Honor Roll committee, the AMPA Salute to the Heroes of the Motion Picture Industry to be held October 21 at the Hotel Astor, Newr York, promises to be the largest affair ever given by that organization. The committee invitations were announced this week. Among those receiving invitations were : Neil F. Agnew, Jack Alicoate. Edward L. Alperson, Chester B. Bahn, Barney Balaban, Maurice Bergman, Joseph Bernhard, David Bernstein, Nate Blumberg, Mort Blumenstock, Harry Brandt, William Brenner, O. Henry Briggs, Colvin W. Brown, Jules Brulatour, Harry D. Buckley, Charles Francis Coe, Jack Cohn, Thomas J. Connors, J. Cheever Cowdin. Arthur DeBra, George Dembow, Ned E. Depinet. Howard Dietz, Oscar A. Doob, Charles Einfeld. Jay Emanuel, Simon H. Fabian, William Formby. William German, Robert M. Gillham, Harry Goldberg, Leonard Goldenson. James R. Grainger, Abel Green, Arthur Greenblatt, Stanton Griffis, Toby Gruen, Francis L. Harmon, Pete Harrison, Will H. Hays, Hal Horne, W. Ray Johnston, Charles Reed Jones, John Joseph. And Ben Kalmenson. Harry Kalmine. Sherwin Kane, Arthur Kelly, Austin C. Keough. Malcolm Kingsberg, Ed Kuykendall, Paul N. Lazarus, Jr., Carl Leserman, Charles E. Lewis, Ray Levy, Lou Lifton, Dave Lipton, Arthur L. Mayer, Don Mersereau, Dan Michalove, William C. Michel, Herbert M. Miller, Robert Mochrie, Abe Montague. Charles C. Moskowitz. Abram F. Myers, Edward McNamee. J. J. O'Connor, David Palfreyman. Richard W. Patterson, Jr.. Charles D. Prutzman, Martin Ouigley, Edward C. Raftery, Terry Ramsaye, N. Peter Rathvon, Norton V. Ritchey, Herman Robbins, William F. Rodgers. George J. Schaefer, Nicholas M. Schenck, Abe Schneider, Wm. A. Scully, Gradwell L. Sears, Ben Shlyen, Sid Silverman, Charles Skouras, Spyros P. Skouras. Nate Spingold, Leonard Traube, Joseph R. Vogel, Maj. Albert Warner, William Wilkerson, Wendell L. Willkie. Herbert J. Yates, Adolph Zukor. Radio Advertising for Theatres; A Golden Opportunity for the Broadcasting Stations By Franc Arnold The current paper shortage with consequent reduction by newspapers of advertising space presents the radio stations of America an opportunity to reap a golden harvest. And it is a harvest that can be turned into a perennial yield if a very fertile field is smartly sown by the stations right now. Otherwise the currently expanding use of radio by theatres and motion picture producer-distributors may prove a one-crop harvest, for the showman is likely to return to his pre-war lethargy and indifference to this medium when normal conditions resume. How can the radio stations turn this golden opportunity for motion picture revenue into a continuing yield? Very simply, say a great many of the film industry's advertising men, who point out that the theatreman would now like to use the class "A" radio station of his community, but often finds that impractical because of the single-mindedness of many national station business managers, who appear only to know from soap, soup and razor blades — commodities sold in thousands of stores. Theatre Merchandise Different There is a vast difference between the merchandise offered by the theatreman and that sold by other merchants. Therefore Mr. Radio Station Manager, if he is to realize the opportunity now knocking at his door must think in terms of a product so perishable that its very life is extinguished with the darkening of the electric lights spelling out the name of this week's attraction on the marquee of the motion picture theatre ; a product whose home, instead of being a place on the shelves of thousands of stores, is a single theatre, whose very location lim.its its potential customers to only a small part of the radio station's coverage ; whose seating capacity puts a ceiling on the amount of increased business it can handle. Consequently a customer of this type who is ready, willing and able to spend money for radio advertising — but is business man enough to know that the advertising dollar must be expended on the basis of a fair percentage of the potential profits it can earn — certainly is a customer of enough importance to the radio station to deserve consideration. The solution, although revolutionary to radio, has its precedent in the newspaper Motion Picture Rate. Applying a Motion Picture Rate to the radio v\'ould take into consideration that the theatre can receive only a partial coverage and limited benefits from any specified radio station, and would establish a rate CHEAPER than either the national or local for that outlet. Profit for Radio Stations This, however, is not a one-sided deal that benefits only the motion picture theatre or the national motion picture producer-advertiser. It offers to the radio station, particularly to class "A" stations which now receive little or no motion picture theatre advertising, the followingbenefits : 1. It makes the station's time a regular part of theatre advertising appropriations. 2. It allows the motion picture exhibitor to see the benefit that can be derived from radio and makes him a permanent advertiser. 3. Of the utmost importance to the radio station is the following: Due to the universal apj)eal of motion pictures they do not need to have their message keyed or beamed to any particular audience on any specified time. So it is possible for the radio station to deliver a "package" deal of one minute spots under this Motion Picture Rate to run WPIKN and AS the station schedule allows. This also would be the station's answer and defense to any other class of business wanting to share under this rate. This set and established rate would allow the station to share in national placetnent schedules as well as local time bought by the exhibitor, as it would allow the advertising agency to make its placement without problems of availabilities and conflicting national and local rates. This is not a one theatre — one company, problem, and it certainly is in no way a battle with the radio stations, as it helps them a:s much if not more than the exhibitors. It is, however, an allied exhibitor and an allied producer's problem and it is up to each local theatre man to "sell" his "A" station on this program, for once the leading station in the city establishes such a rate the other radio stations in his town will follow. It is up to the local radio station manager to establish such a Motion Picture Rate and then "sell" the exhibitor on taking advantage of it. Only thus can America's theatres use another voice in the chorus of America's great advertising media — The V oice of Radio ! Denies Loew's Protested Service Men's Minimum In a statement issued Tuesday, Charles M. Reagan, Paramount general sales manager, declared that contrary to reports, there has been no complaint whatsoever to Paramount from the management of Loew's Palace, Washington, D. C., regarding prices charged service men at showings there of "For Whom the Bell Tolls." The Reagan statement points out that Paramount has set a minimum of 75 cents matinees and $1.10 evenings for all engagements of FWTBT and in some two-a-day situations the scale is up to $1.65 and $2.20, and therefore the minimum of 50 cents matinees and 75 cents evenings and Sundays charged service men is entirely equitable for all concerned. Paramount, Reagan repeated, has always agreed to the prevailing cut-rate prices for service men in all local situations on its regular pictures, and in this respect ''the company willingly has taken the rap along with the exhibitors, and Paramount is glad to do this." In the case of "For Whom the Bell Tolls," he adds. Paramount feels that a picture of its magnitude and drawing power calls for higher prices all along the line in fairness to the distributor and the exhibitor. John Eberson Appointed OCR Theatre Head Priorities for theatre construction and repair this week went into the hands of John Eberson, theatre architect long identified with the film industry, when he was put in charge of theatres in the Amusement Section of WPB's Office of Civilian Requirements. Eberson, already doing work for the Government as consulting architect-engineer, takes up his new duties as a dollar-a-year man. Eberson's advent into the OCR came about when George MacA'Iurphey, chief of the bureau, acted on the recommendation of the War Activities Committee of the film industry. Under the agreement Eberson will spend several days each week in Washington, where he will have an office in the Securities Building. It was explained that his duties for the OCR will not interfere with his other Government work.