Variety (Dec 1939)

8 VARIETY EXPLOITATION Weflnewlay, December 6, 19,19 FILM SHOWMANSHIP Roach's mice' Gets New Ad Agcy.; Result Of Joan Bennett Huff Uniled Artists' campaign on 'Mice end Men' will see a new advertising agency handling the Hal Roach ac- count, pa'sibly a western outfit, now that J. Walter Thompson Isn't do- ing the Roach copy. The split oc- curred with 'Housekeeper's Daugh- ter,' which has been a bit of a storm center stemming from Joan Bennett's objections to the manner in which she was exploited. Donahue & Coe agency wa-s called in as an emergency organization to bridge the gap pro tern, and 'Mice and Men' may see still another setup. BABIES' BANK ACQS. AS THIN MAN' BAUY Pittsburgh, Dec. 5. Capitalizing on the Nick Charles' (William Powell and Myrna Loy) first born in 'Another Thin Man,' Charlie Baron, Metro exploiteer in this territory, is snaring some good results from flock of managers on baby bank accounts. Idea is simple. Theatres that are going along agree to start a savings book, first deposit amount varying in different loca- tions, to first baby boy born in that particular town during first hour— or in some cases, first day—of 'Thin Man's' opening engagement. Physi- cians are asked to cooperate with theatres in listing time of arrivals. So far. Baron has lined up half a dozen houses and flock of others are coming in as picture's distribution In the district widens. Loew's, in St L, Ties In Stores/On Thin Man' St t«uis, Dec, 5. Combo of co-op ads, color contest for kiddies and grownups, street bally, cuBo radio announcements and bookshop window tieups were the highlights of the efforts of manager 'Chick' Evans, p.a. Jimmy Harris, and his aide, Wallie Heim, to make this burg 'Another Thin Man' conscious. The color contest was part of a full- page co-op ad tieup with the Star- Times, p.m. rag. Before 'Thin Man' eeun its seco nd week at Loew's , By John C. Flinn Since early in the autumn when the outbreak of the European War cut otl substantial film rental revenues the preiJsure of adjustment to cope with chani-ed mar- ket conditions has been on Hollywood and the man- agements of the. .studios. For better or wor.^e, the results of the production nipups arc reflected in an- nouncements of coming releases. The Hollywood job, so far as this season's program is concerned, is nearly completed. From here in the distribution departments of the major companies will be ruiining with the ball, with blocking supplied by the adverli.sing and pub- licity staffs. Prediction that the film companies would have to look to home pastures for increased business seems to be fulfilled by the manner in which the film exchanges are maneuvering their releases to catch the full benefit of the season's best business period, starting with the holidays and continuing into early spring. On*- th€ merit of the films to be released over the next two months, and on the showmanship and advertising as- sistance they receive will depend very largely the success of the industry's program of production cost retrenchment. There are, of course, half a dozen m.ijor attractions soon to be relea.sed which were planned and in pro- duction long before Europe attempted a two-and-a-half without a life net Impact of these films which will reacb .the publid within the next few week."! .should stfmulate interest generally in matters cinematic. "Gone With the Wind' (S-I) is bound to kick up dust at its premieres in Atlanta, New York, Bo.ston, Lo.» Anjieles, Cincinnati, Harrisburg and Reading which have been set during the week of Dec. IS. Charles Laughton in RKO's new production of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' is a pretentious undertak- ing which will be shown, for the first time during the holidays. Another heavy co.st attraction is the Max Fleischer feature-length cartoon, 'Gulliver's Travels,' likewise down for Christmas release. Walter Disney's 'Pinocchio' will not be shown until February. In addition to 'Wind' Metro also is releasing 'Judge Hardy and Son,' latest Mickey Rooney, and 'Balalaika,' a pretentious fllmusical. 'Ninotchka' currently in first runs soon will be ready for subsequent showings. MORE FOR THE XHAS B.O. STOCKING Warner Bros, is stressing 'Four Wives' as their Yule- tide contribution, an alluring booking for family trade which supported 'Four Daughters' handsomely. 'The Fighting 69th,' starring James Cagney, and 'A Child is Born,' with Geraldine Fitzgerald, are also early War- ner films. Sonja Henie will make her appearance in 'Every- thing Happens at Night' C20th) and Darryl 2^nuck promises 'Swanee River,' another Stephen Foster biog, with Don Ameche, Andrea Leeds and Al Jolson. Uni- versal will have 'Charlie McCarthy, Detective' as a foUowup to 'Destry Rides Again,' starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart, now in flr.st runs. Only Metro and Paramount of the larger companies are making any fuss about special exploitation efforts to give some of the new product impetus before the , public. Former is going heavily for newspaper dis- play space in connection with premiere showings of 'Gone With the Wind,' and also has taken to the na- tional magazines to tell the public that the newest Andy Hardy film is 'as American as apple pie.' Paramoui^t declares it has appropriated $250,000 in s national advertising campaign for 'Gulliver's Travels.' The announcement gays that '100,000,000 readers will thrill at great full-page, four-color Gulliver ads in the leading magazines of the nation.' Emphasis also is placed on the fact that 100 manufacturers of commer- cial articles intend to spend heavily in advertising to 'put over merchandise of 'Gulliver's' novelties.' Film advertising men apparently are finding it dif- ficult to discover new channels of appi-oach to the public's desire for entertainment. U.se of radio in the national hookups has not been consistent and has . eve»i created some opposition from theatre operators wTio resent broadcasting of film material. Chief draw- back to the network tie-ins when the studios contribute film personalities in a dramatic or musical sketch is that the sponsor, rather than the picture, derives the benefits from the listening audience. It is a debatable subject the real value of commercial hodkups, tie-ins and working arrangements with busi- ness concerns. Reason for doubt is predicated on a showmanship fundamental. The average seeker of entertainment has a natural antipathy towards even the rho.st subtle efforts to exploit him when he is seek- ing and paying for diversion. Reason the siiiiie rule does not work with radio is because radio is free. REAL SELLING UP TO THE THEATRE No matter how hefty the advertising nppropri.ition for national magazine or billboard campaigns by a distributor, the fact remains in film operations that the real selling job must always be the the.atreman's func- tion. It is he alone who controls the factors of time, place and admission fee. Distributor- campaigns lay down -a barrage, but unless the cleanup job is com- petently done, the return of heavy advertising expen- ditures is jeopardized. The very methods of distribution and exhibition put . upon the di.stributbr-advertiser a greater need for the- atre cooperation than maintains in most''industries where merchandise remains for indefinite periods on the shelves. Not so with films. Their exhibition dates are specific. They play in only one theatre at a time in a competitive area. The individual film is only one of eight or nine new attractions shown weekly in the community. To concentrate public interest in one, out of so many, is a merchandising task which ordinury salesmanship, does not accomplish. That is why theatre managers as a class are" eager and enthusiastic sponsors of their product, provided they are adequately informed of the. merits of what they have to offer. The distributor that fails to sup- port national campaigns with trade press followups devoted to informative and helpful suggestions has performed only half his job, and the lesser half at that. As the newly shaped program of films moves from Hollywood into general release there is an unusual opportunity for every producer—distributor to bring his exhibitor customers into closer coopernlibn on the important subject of salesmanship. No other problem before the industry is demanding more attention and discussion. Every a.ssociate pro- ducer, director and writer has an interest also in the manner in which films are pre.sented to the buying public by individual theatre operators. A cohesive industry is a healthy industry. The trend too frequently of late years is away from well-planned campaigns which provide for film show- manship enterprise during the full life period of a film's showing. Too frequently there is a flash bally for a few weeks of key city release, followed by silence and.oblivion. 'Ecstasy' Ad Overly Ecstatic, Ga. Exhib Gets 10 Days, Fine Atlanta, Dec. 5. Ceorgia Court of Appeals Saturday t2) decided J, H. Carter, operator of Brookhaven, was in contempt of court in connectlbn with his efforts to show 'Ecstasy' some month.s ago. Appellate court sustained DeKalb Superior court, which had found Carter in contempt and sentenced him to 10 days in jail and fined him $200. Carter booked film for .showing May 13, but Solicitor General Roy Leatherwood took out a restraining order and blocked showing of pic. Carter then placed a sign in front of his theatre upon which was word- ing: 'Due to selfish and contemptible interests, we are temporarily re- strained from showing 'Ecstasy.' We will bring this picture to you pend- ing a court decision.' "The solicitor general, objecting to language of the sign, then brought contempt proceedings. Despite a statement by Carter that he had not referred to the court or prosecutor in his sign, he was found guilty. MAYOR PUTS OFFICIAL OK ON UNCOLN' PUY Detroit, Dec. 8. Mayor of this town turned pre.«-s- agent extraordinary when he i.«.«ued a civic proclamation boosting Robert E. Sherwood's 'Abe Lincoln in Illi- nois,' six days in advance of its open- ing yesterday (Monday) at Cass. 'In these troublesome times,' Mayor Richard Reading told citizens of strike-troubled town in official state- ment, 'this play, more than anything else, demonstrates, visualizes and teaches the true spirit of American democracy. It becomes a rar» in- structor of American history and patriotism.' Par Ties In Synificates On 'Gulliver's Travels' more than 3,000 entries were re ceived in the color contest for which three prizes, totaling $40 and 40 pairs of ducats, were offered Heim prompted several co-op ads 1 •with two of the largest downtown department stores and this was note- worthy as the stores tighten up at this time of the year to exploit their 'shop early Xmas' sales campaign. Zenith Radio Co. kicked in with spot snnouncements for the Powcll-Loy opus. Job Sales .Continued from pace S_ YfB's Cnffo Xmas Carols $6.33. Pay of regular extras would be rai.sed from $6.25 to $9.49. If either request is turned down by the producers, the SAG will in.sist I ",ion~ p7cVJre'Arts' &'Yc7enVs" ^ that it be sent to arbitration. \ taken this week when general elec nixed a counter-proposal for ac- cumulative 44-hour week, with a wage scale of approximately $1.78 an hour. They are insisting on. a 40- hour week, with scale of $2 an hour instead of their present rate of $1.70 un hour. First move in the proposed re- organization of the Academy of Mo- Ncw type of distributor good-will Is exempjified by the free trailer for Christmas which Warner Bros, has made and is distributing to ex- hibitors. It runs a little over two minutes, available for showing Xmas week. Trailer offers the Lane sisters and Gale Page doing Christmas carols. Midwesco'B Wichita Orph Wichita, Dec, 5. Miller Amuse. Co., Inc., subsidiary Fox-Midwest. Theatres, bought Or- phem building and theatre here from Orpheum Bldg. Operations Co. for approximately $500,000. Howard Jamcyson, district Fox- Midwest manager, to manage. Build- ings to be remodelled. TITLE CHANGES Hollywood, Dec. 5. 'Bad Boy' is substitute tag for 'My Son' at Warners. 'Showdown' is release title for Harry Sherman's 'Gun Chores' at Paramount. 'Oh, Johnny,- How You Can tave' is new monicker for "Road to Ro- nnance' at Universal. _ , 'Disraeli' became 'The Prime Min- ister' at Warners. Universal tossed aside 'Honeymoon Pi-eferred' and re-dubbed it 'Double Alibi.' Lou Anger has resigned as pro- ducer representative on the Pro- ducer-SAG Standing Committee. William S. Holman, former studio hnunagcr for Columbia, was ap- pointed to vacancy. In announcing his retirement, Anger stated: 'In view of the many complex problems confronting the Standing Committee, I feel that the producers' representative henceforth should be in a position to devote all of his time to the work of the committee. Be- cause of the pressure of many other activities, I am not in a position to do this.' Other members of the Standing Committee are Murray Kinnell, rep- re.itenting the SAG, and Stewart Mc- Kee, chairman and independent member. Committee is now making a study of the extra problem, rroducers Drop Clarke Victor H. Clarke is checking out of the Producers' Association within next 10 days. Retirement is in line with retrenchment policy of pro- ducers, many executives talking the position that Pat Casey and Fred Pelton should be able to handle all labor negotiations. Clarke for .sev- eral years has served as assistant to Ca.sey. . Prior to that he was studio manager at Paramount Producers now have under con- sideration demands for wage in- creases from Society of Motion Pic- ture Film Editor.s, Script Clerks Guild, Screen Set Designers and Screen Readers Guild, Designers Amortization .Continued from page 3_ lion was ordered for Dec. 12. New board selected at that time will im- mediately choo.se new officers to handle the annual achievement awards banquet in February. A li.st of SO candidates was nomi- nated from the various branches of the indu.'ilry. Members will vote for 25, and the IS receiving the higher vole will be declared elected. List of nominees follows: John Aalberg; Sam Briskin, Ber- nard Brown, Sidney Buchman, David Butler, Frank Capra, Charles' Co- burn, Ronald Colman, George Cukor, Richard Day, C. B. DcMille, Walt Disiiey, Howard Estabrook, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., May Robson, Mark Sandrich, Allan Scott David O. Selz- nick, Clark Gable, Fred Gage, James Hilton, Talbot Jennings. John Leroy Johnston, Henry King, Fred Leahy, Mervin LeRoy, Frank Lloyd, Gene Lockhart H. J. Mc- •Cord, John Meehan, Tom Moulton, Jane Murfin, V. N. Polglase, Elmer Raguse, Robert Ri.skin, Douglas Shearer, Norma Shearer, Max Steiner, James Stewart, Leopold Stokowski, Hunt Stromberg, Norman Taiirog, Joseph Valentine, Walter Wanger, Herbert Wilcox, Ray Wil- kin.son, Carey Wilson, Sam Wood, William Wyler, Darryl Zanuck. Independent studio guilds are banding for mutual protection, E^ch group would retain autonomy but would present a united front through establishment of committees similar to the inter-talent council of actors, writers and directors. creased rentals in earlier first-run engagements and extended run.s. While foreign revenue returns reputedly always are slow roming in, with certain countries not beginning to get extensive l>ooking.s for six months after domestic release, the new amortization alignment pro- vides that only abo\it 15% of write- offs are counted upon as coming in the final 29 weeks of the full amor- tization period. Because the vast bulk of foreign revenue comes in during this 29-week period, it can be readily' seen that the burden of film writeoffs has been shifted largely to the domestic, market Brltalo'i Frcexc Freezing of currency In Great Britain and threatened coin restric- tions in other nations, coupled with a dip in foreign exchange and de- cline in bbxoffice receipts abroad, is held largely at fault for this shift. Majority of picture companies in the past have figured that it requires 39 we6ks to write off amortization costs in the domestic field. For the distributor, counting on 70% of his revenue from the domestic market and 30% from the foreign, this is taken to mean that a small per- centage of amortization writeoff is left for the foreign market When the picture companies adjust themselves to the changed condi- tions, produced by the European war, a similar readjustment prob- ably will show up in forthcoming financial statements. Bui in the meantime, this necessity for accel- erating writeoffs to indicate probable decreases in foreign revenue doubt- lessly will produce substantial year- end adjustments and losses in the final 1939 quarter for many picture companies. Under a campaign that hat been laid ou t with the country's news syndicateSTTaTaiflOTITrtr^tl rvai-li « total of 60,000,000 readers on ma- terial covering 'Gulliver's Travels' up to the time it Is released Christ- mas week. Syndicates, all of any importance In the U. S., have already carried considerable exclusive ma- terial prepared for them. • Tom Waller, of the Par h o.. Is in charge of the syndicate campaign on 'Gulliver,' all of which originates cut of New York. He made two trips 1o Miami on the cartoon and will make a third before the picture preems there the middle of December. KIDS' QUIZ Mpld. Nsbe Ties In lltltb Local Bailio «Q Jove's I. Q. Minneapolis. Dec. S. Newest thing in quizes is one for the children being launched by Har- old Kaplan and Harold Field at their de luxe nabe, the St. l.ouis Park, every Saturday afternoon be- tween 2 and 3 p.m. Radio .station WCCO is broadcasting the quiz di- rectly from the theatre. Children from 6 to 16 are eligible to participate. Kids them.selvej. are invited to submit questions. Cash prizes are given for the beft an- swers. Eddie Gallahcr, WCCO an- nouncer; is 'Captain Kid,' handling the quiz. Tinned Admish Reading, Pa., Dec. S. To help the Salvation Army in its campaign for Xmas dinners for the poor, Graham Jeffrey, manager <'f the Strand, Warner-Stanley hou.-se, gave a children's matinee, admission one can of food. , In two hours the Strand 'can taker took in 2,265 cans of tomatoe.s, b«anf. corn, . sauerkraut, -milk,...fruit..an*' other products.