Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1949)

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SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW, October 1. 1949 HOLLYWOOD OBSERVATIONS s-7 Dr. Leo The Lion has discovered a new cure for allergy. We have always been allergic to war pictures in any form whatsoever. We're cured. Dr. Leo gave us one hour and fifty-eight minutes of "Battleground" and we're completely normal again. (P.S.: To exhibitors whose patrons suffered from the same ailment, we prescribe this treatment but suggest you make sure everyone within possible drawing range be told about it . . . and in no uncertain tones.) Professional ethics — (which we've acquired since becoming involved in the operation of the Variety ClubsWill Rogers Hospital) — prompts us to add that Prof. Dore Schary assisted in the successful treatment along with some terrific cast performances. Standard greeting from a great many indie producers goes something like this: "Hy're Chick, nice seeing you again. Say, do you know how that exhibitor financing outfit is going to function . . .?" We don't know whether that NEFC idea will prove as successful and as helpful to independent production as many of its sponsors and subscribers contend, but we do know it has given independent production a shot in the arm even before they know how, why, when or where the company will operate. Certainly we, along with a lot of other people, would like to see the NEFC functioning with as little delay as possible. There are plenty of good picture properties out here and an over-abundance of talent to convert those properties into good motion pictures. From our Jock MacGregor in London came the following cable the morning after the London Variety Club Tent teed off its first activity: "Variety shoiv an enormous success . . . star spangled bill enthralled packed house . . . a great send-off for London Tent. . . Bob O'Donnell flew over for this inaugural event and after a quickie tour of the continent, returns to London on Oct. 20th for the official induction of the new Tent. We were all set to make this trip along with Bob but they double-crossed me over there and switched the dates and that left me hanging out on a limb out here in Hollywood where they have as many London fogs (or smogs) as they do in London itself. STR and this writer extend sincere greetings to the new British Variety Club Tent and wish them great success in their very worthy charitable activity. Speaking of the Clubs reminds us that come October, 23 rd to the 27th, the MidYear Conference opens in New York with the entire group making a personal inspection trip to the Hospital at Saranac Lake, followed by a cocktail party and buffet supper at Fred Schwartz's Timberdoodle Lodge at Lake Placid. The party then returns to New York's Hotel Astor where two days of business sessions get under way climaxed by the Induction Banquet of the New York Variety Club Tent. The three newest tents will be represented for the first time when Milwaukee, Denver and London representatives answer to the roll call. The New York host tent has set up a most impressive program of entertainment for the visiting Barkers. There hasn't been too much time for picture-viewing on this year's trip but we did take the day off to attend the "Task Force" party aboard the USS Valley Forge and under not too favorable conditions saw the picture aboard ship. The accuracy of the technical phases amazed not only us but most of the officers of the monster aircraft carrier itself. There must be a special ability to adhere to technical detail and still retain good story telling and for this, if for no other reason, Warners deserve great credit. In addition to which they have as fine a picture as you'd want to see and play. Our own secret agents, with the aid of the Hollywood grapevine, tell us that Eddie Golden's picture now shooting is one of the tops of the year. Eddie, being so darn modest (?) won't talk, but it took him only twentyfive minutes to convince us that the grapevine was hitting on all cylinders. Then there is "The Cariboo Trail," number three on Nat Holt's hit parade, and if the inside rumors are reasonably accurate, it will make three in a row for Nat. It really couldn't happen to a nicer guy nor one with the ability to view all pictures, in planning or in production, through the box-office window with which Nat is so very familiar and which, in this writer's opinion, qualifies him to know a lot more about what the public wants than those who haven't found out there are people and places outside of the high walls of . . . you guessed it . . . Hollywood. —CHICK LEWIS In Hollywood SHOWMEN S TRADE REVIEVV, Title and Trade Mark Registered U. S. Patent Office. Published everv Friday by Showmen's Trade Review. Inc., 1501 Broadway. i\ew York 18. N. Y Telephone. LOngacre 3-0121. Charles E. 'Chick' Lewis, Editor and Publisher; Tom Kennedy, Executive Editor; Ralph Cokain. Managing Editor; Merlin L. Lewis, tilm Advertising Manager; Harold Randall, Equipment Advertising Manager. West Coast Office, 6777 Hollvwood Boulevard, Hollvwood 28. CaUforaia ; lelephone Hollywood 2055; Ann Lewis. Manager. London Representative, Jock MacGregor, 16 Leinster Mews, London W.2 ; Telephone AMbassador 3601. Member Audit Bureau of Circulation. Address all correspondence to the New York office. Cable address: "Showmen's New York."