Variety (Aug 1938)

22 VARIETY PICTUHES Wednesday, August 31, 1938 HI Natl Ads to Be Spent h Next iWdis, First (km n Hn Ms 'Grealest l^teitaiimat' firira The $250,000 in dist>lay newspaper advertising space to be spent with- in the next two .weeks is the initial promotion blast of the industry's •Motion Pictures Are Your Greatest Ehtertainmeht' eampaiCD. First copy in the coast to coast barrage will be released today. • Within the short period of five weeks, plans, for the drive for new season's business have been con- ceived, perfected and put into op- eration by the jcneral eonunittee, of which George J. Schaefer is chairman, and the executive promo- tion committee, "onsisting of How- ard Dletz, Robert M. Gillham and Charles E. McCarthy. , More than 100 showmen, in addition, have par- ticipated actively in the preparatory work, leading up to the exploitation kick-off.' Industry's co-ordinated exploita- tion push will continue until Dec. 31, the date set for termination of the national movie quiz contest, for which $250,000 has been appropri- . ated in prize money. Budget for the entire campaign is set at $1>000,- 000, of vriiich 9500,000 is pledged by national distributors. $250,000 by af- filiated theatre circuits, and $250,- 000 by independent theatre op- erators. Coihplete financial under- writing is assured. Pledges from Independent : theatres, based on a pro rata tax of 10c per seat have reached $230,000, aieeordliig to infor- mation from national headquarters, 1540 Broadway, New York. Balance is anticipated within the next few days. Mutual congratulations and a genr eral air of griatification upon the success of , the campaign, at least in its inaugural stages, has been su- perceded- along Broadway by. the conviction that the exploitation bang - is reviving showmanship within the film trade in a . manner that guarantees substantial box- office results during the .next few months. Orders have been placed by theatre operators for 20,000,000 copies of the movie .quiz handl>ooks, already at a premium, in the $5 dis- tribution centers. - Preference for orders Is being given to theatres which have pledged OmiwUi sup- port to the campaign. Supporting accessories, including one-sheets, streamers and publicity material are being reordered to replenish the past week's demand.' S4 Films In Drive National feature releases for the three months of Atigust, S^tember and October comprise ttic list of films which are entered in .thd quiz contest Newspaper display ads will carry the full list of 94 pictures, of which 70 (the August and Septem ber releases) are mentioned by name in the first disidays. It is the intention of the committee to Include the October pictures in sub^ sequent advertisements, scheduled for insertion later in the fall. Individual distributor representa- tion by nurhber of pictures, in the list of 94, are as follows: Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount and 20th-Fox, 14 each; Warners, 13; ^kSKO-Radio, 12; Universal, 16; Co- ^■lumbia, .8; United Artists, 5, and Br Monogram- 4. W Hays Systen «f ApporttoBBcnt Apportionment of the total of $500,000 among national distributors Is being designated by. George Borthwick, treasurer of the Motion Ticture Producers .& Distributors of America, Inc. (Hays office) who is figuring individual assessments pur- suant to the confidential tables of national income under which as- sociation dues are derived. The same procedure Is being followed In the case of the affiliated circuits of Loew's, Paramount, RKO-Radio, Warners and .20th-Fox. Specific amounts to be paid by each dis- tributor and circuit Is being kept confidential by Borthwick and Frank C. Walker, treasurer of the campaign. First of the newspaper display ■ds will break today (Wed.) in the N. y. Sun and World-Telegram; the Boston Herald and Christian Science play copy, largest of which is 600 lines. Cost of advertising accessories to theatres is generally lower than the stanidard industry prices. Schaefer explains the cuts hy the fact that de^rs are passing. up profit to' stimulate their use. Film ex- dianges are ha^Hiinp the material as a voluntary contribution to the drive. S«. CaUfsrois Set hos Angeles, Aug. 30. . Industry is sJl set locally to in- augurate the Greater Movie Season drive Sept 1, as part of the nation- wide campaign to drive home the message that 'Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment' Southern California, regional com- mittee, headei by Charles P. ^ouras, prexy of Fox-West Coast theatres, has been meeting almost daily; for past 10 days, mapping out a comprehensive campaign by which it is hoped to spur theatre attend- itince in this area. Support of Los Angeles as well' as out-of-town dailies has been promised the com-; mittee; numerous tieups' have al- ready been made, ^ihd Scuthem Cali- fornia and Arizona will hit tiie ball 100% when iite drive formally gets under way day after tomorrow. HW Pledge Minneapolis, Aug. 30. Success of the 'Better Entertain- ment' campaign in this territory Is assured, W. A. Steffes, district dwir- man, believes. Exhibitors already have pledged $6,000, although the total assessment for the territory, has been set at only $5,000. Few ex- hibitors are refusing to participate, Steffes reports, Steffes has a.raqged. with Gov. Benson' and the', mayors of various cities throughout th . state to issue proclamations calling the public's at- tention to the 'Greater Movie Sea- son.* Premature Plug? E)di)bitors in many parts ef . the country have been pestered for the last week or 10 days by patrons asking for details about the Movie Quiz contest Beasoo is that the contest was plugged in many localities by theatres. using the contest trailer on the screen. But the quiz contest booklets, outlining all details and rules, vi-ere not in ttie hands of exhibitors for distribution. Booliiets were scbedolcd for initial handout to' patrons to- morrow (Sept 1). MOREACTION, LESS GAB, H EDICT HoUywood, Aug. 30. More action and less dialog is the job set for 33 staff writers at War- ners this week, revising scripts al- ready prepared for M heavy budget pictures. Move is in line with the policy an- nounced at the ^ring sales conven- tion. Distributors contend that ac- tion in pictures is more profitable than talk. MLirS NEW SEUJNG SLOW Philadelphia, Aug. 30. Selling for the 1938-39 season con- tinues slow here, although it has picked up slightly in the past few we^. Despite constant reminders from United Motion Pictiue Thea- tre Owners, exbib org, to go easy on buying,, tardiness this year seems merely a natural state rather' than Sie result of any concerted action, as in past seasons. Government's suit against this ma- jor producers has , served somewhat to slow things up. Some exhibs are of. the opinion ttiat when the heat really goes on, they may profit from much better film prices. In any competitive spot, however, where an exhib stands a chance of losing his product, he has generally bought already. Yfos Fnak Joyce dd in Aitfo trice Hollywood, Aug. 30. Frank Joyce, 19, film cutter at 20th-Fox, was killed in Los Angeles Aug. 27 when run down by an auto driven by Arthur Beckhart, Santa Barbara stage producer. Girl com- panion of Joyce's; also'died from her injuries. Beckhart was not held by police. Joyce was son of the late Frank Joyce, partner with Myron Selznick in the latter's agencjr. and nephew of Aik« Joyce, foriner film star, now wife of Clarence Brown, Metro di- rector. Mother and sister of Fanny Bribe were seriously injured in Los Anigeles Aiig. 28. iwfaen their car collided with another. Mother has a fractured akuU and sister internal in- juries. Both are expected to recover. Directors of 20th-Fox are sched- uled to act on dividends for both conunon and' preferred shares at a meeting tomorrow (Thursday).. Hie $1.50 annual rate on the preferred stock doubtless^ will be maintained while another 50c. quarterly divvy on tiie common is regarded likely. Company already has paid $1 on common shares thus .far this year, and third quarter declaration . of usual 50c. would bring total to $1,50 ■this year. Earnings are reported to justify such a payment Columbia Pictures last week closed with the Interstate and Texas Con- solidated circuit of Texas and New Mexico for its 51 theatres. Pact closed by J. B; Underwood, Colum- bia's Dallas manager,; and Bob O'Donnell, representing the <.hain. Deal was closed yesterday (Tues^) uhder which Ixxew's takes 50% of th' 1938-39 Republic product for its metropolitah N, Y. circuit of around eo; theatres. Last season the' one- half went to RKO., J. R. Grainger and Morris Epstein represented Rep in the negotiations; C. C' Moskowitz ani^ Ckfne Picker the Loew circuit 'DwUe-Featwe Me/ Saj^ L^'s IiiWkBHeWiiite«i(iol»9^ By Joe Laurie, Jr. Coolacres, Cal„ Aug. 30. Dear Joe':— So glad to get your letter telling us that.you finally landed a week in vaudeville at Loew's iStale. Even in tfarec cord monte ttiey let the sudier win once in a while. When A<^ hia aw l ttiat you sot a week she said 'Stber vaudeville is coming back or goiog back.' Of course you know she wpa kl<l<En'. Me and Aggie used to live at the old Bartholdi Inn wbere the^^ate now staiids and the Vauctt office w«8 on the first floor. We played the btnise wfaien it was first opened and the acts had to rehearse their music on the New York Roof, because tiie bouse oficned so eirly. At tlie first diow the •udieaoe: was made up of mfflonen and guys >wboBe eyes couldnt stand the sun. Ghosts of the old Bartfaioldi Iod would ,ke runitiag up and down the asiles with old VMORrs in their bands. I see where the Strand opened iip with flesh <U you can call Ben Bemie flcA), and that a k>t of aOicr jdMies are talking about opening up. Wdl, n^rbe vaudeville is canii« back. Aggie sea. mt is. H must be Unimbing its way*... but you Inew Aflgle . . . Ae dout even believe the. light goes Out in tlie ice bex wtao you doae ttie door. I havoit written to you I summer becauae the iguy flMt named this town Coolaczes had a sense of hmnor. If 8 be«u so hot here all the type- < writer keys have melted tog«lfa». Ag^'s had « month's vacation. She spent it in 4be boatoffiee and had 'a niee qniet ttnc. "We Just opened the theatre every day so Ifae toOt wotdtet nisL Om' cooling sy^ian worked so good tb^t two customers are suing us (or causing them pneumonia; but we got the o^ier (our custoBiers to ptYive that the tempetntuie was okay. If the other lawyer asks ttiem if they were wearing heavy underwear at the time, we will lose the case. A£gie is looking fine and you wouldn't know the kid. He's grown like a rumor in a small town. The kid is a bom diowman; he has a language aO his own. Instead of calling me Daddy he calls me 'Indie* and he caUa Aggie Tickets' instead of Mama. He says 'in the red,' 'bad feature' and ^percentage' very , plain. When he wante to go to sleep he says 'double-r feature me;' He's a great kM and we sure are proud of him. Badancs the rUm Drive As for myself, Pm all hopped up about what these producers are going to do No doubt you've read in the papers about ttis Greatest Picture Year they're promoting; they're going to spend a miUion bucks m adver- tising and prizes. In other words they're gonna give away didies only m a different way and on a large scale. It's all to get the public to go and seie ^ picture shows. Well Fm ^ad to see them waking up and doing something about it It's good showinanship to make a splurge of advertising at the beginning of the season and let the folks know that you are in business. Why me and Aggie uSed to have new letterheads every fall and send them out to all the imanagere and iKiokers. We did in a srtuill way what these binjs are doing in a big way: Of course if we had their dough we wouldn t need letterheads; we wouldn't even need ari act. . But I'm for it and Fm going to paint the front of the house and oil up my seats and try and get the smeU of the horse operas out of the place. ^nna go in'for more advertising and exploiUtion You gotta .wake thesTyiAels up. I think Fye been too easy on them last year Air 1 m ^^ng for is good product and according to the advance stuff it looks **I^ where 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' is packing 'em in all oyer the cou^. WeU. I l>ope they don't wait until the band gets down to piano iSShSins before th^ send it to me. That Berlin is a swelljuy and de- lenr^abreak: he has a great future before him, Aggie and 'ntro- S toe^ ib Bird's I^e. Indiana. I st.n got the letter of thnnks that Max Winslow sent us. ^ ^ ^ Well, that's about all from this end for" now. Give our best to the_gang back there and tell 'em we wish 'em all a prosperous season, net SEZ Your Pali Lefty. P.S.—Doc Joe Lee sez, 'Influence is what you think you. have until you try to use it* A^taire Heads West After N. Y. Vacash Monitor; the Washington Star, and some 50 other newspapers in small- "'s N<^w York vacation over, Fred er cities. Full strength of the cam- Astaire heads back to the Coast and paign starts tomorrow, and con-1 RKO'or h's next assignment Studio tinues in all cities on the; schedule Is still, working on the 'Vernon Castle ovet- the next 10 days. No coi>v story for him. will be run on Saturday or Sunday This is Astairc's last under his old issues of newspapers. Opening ads BKO deal; he has a new term calling consist of U different pieces of dis-'fo.r an increase. Hex Prez Plays Host ToWB Hollywood, Aug. 30, Seeking material for 'Juarez,' a Warners delegation consisting! of Hal B. WaUis. Paul Muni, Heiiry Blanke and William Dieterle has gone to Mexico City to be hosted by President (Cardenas for a week/ 'Juarez,' based on-the careers of Maximilian.and Carlbtta, is a heavy budgeter. RKO romise Irving Trust Co., trustee of RKO has. filed in N. Y. federal court ap plication for permission to compro- mise RKO-Orpheum Corp.'s claim against RKO, athountitig to around $1,600,000 for $50,000. RKO, in tum^ cancels certain claims against its subsidiary, RKO-Orpheum. "The , niattier serves to reduce RKO's Indebtedness, and is one of those bookkeeping items relating to inter-company afTalrs. CerdeB-Oeneis ii H Y MAeat Par Sol Gordon and Tom Clemens, heads the Beaumont Amusement Co., partners with Paramount in south- western theatres,- are in New York on fall plans, film deals, etc. They also brought an accountant along with them. In Memphis. to discuss a product deal with M. A. Lightman for the Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas territory, Neil F. Agnew returned to New York Monday (29). LA.V4^00-SeatOJL Hollywood, Aug. 30. An opera house and art institute costing $liS00,0(M is to be erected at Wilshire and Vermont in Los Angeles. Federal funds and private capital will finance. . Theatre to seat 4,200. Juiie Lang's Englidi Pic June Lang is going to England to make a picture for SOth-Fox. She sails today CWed.), accompanied. by her mother, following her arrival from the Coast tiiis morning. Under contract to 20th, she re- cently finished a part in 'Meet the Girls' , for that company. YiSiOSYSHMS HI3MSP0rS London, Aug. 19. Waiting for negotiations with BBCJ to jell, (Saumont-British has now big-scpeen projection television in- stallations in three of its West End theatres. First equipped was Tatler news theatre in Charing Ooss road, second was the renovated Tivoli, and third is Marble Arch Pavilion. Whether or not systems will bf put into other . GB key houses in West End and uptown spots is der pendent' on plan being ironed, out to permit theatres to publicly pre- sent BBC' visio programs, either news events, or studio material. METRO'S BEFATZKY Hollywood, Aug. 30. . Dr. . Ralph Benalzky, European composer, has checked in at Metro to start on a writing contract He has to his credit 'White Horse Inn' and several light operas. GOLDWYN^ im OLD FmSTAiOSATW Hollywood, Aug. Samuel Goldwyn is groomiiig a new kid discovery, Earleyne Schools, from Virginia. She's 15 and is to get an extensive pre-ftim training. Weekly salary starts at $275 and hits peak at $3,000 if all options lifted. Lhvak's Darrieux Chore Hollywood, Aug. 30. -Anatole Litvak is set at Universal on a one-picture deal. Will direct 'Rio.' Danielle Dar- rieux's next' stairrer.