Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1945)

Dear Subscriber: Please put a marker her e and pass this issue on to Projection Room CIO' CLINIC PRACTICAL DISCUSSIONS ON MODERN PROJECTION AND SOUND PRACTICES (OVERSEAS EDITION) Here’s Something (we con do) for Our Boys Overseas -/HELVING for the moment our customary continuing discussion of purely domestic problems, we open the Clinic this month with a new thought for home front consumption. This, therefore, will be our Overseas Edition! Followers of this department during the past four war years undoubtedly have noticed an ever-increasing number of published contributions from Service Men — our boys who have left their civilian future in the laps of the gods while they risk their all for us. From training camps and ships at sea; from billets hard by the fighting lines on all fronts have come many useful suggestions and but few complaints from the Joes who left their jobs in our care. Probably many of us at home look at postwar planning, if, indeed, we have considered it at all, as a strictly civilian pursuit. But get this straight — there’s some real planning going on up there at the fronts and we’ve got to back it up with more than mere lip service here at home! Typical, and sharply to the point, is a letter headed ‘‘Germany, December 28, 1944” from one of our boys. We can think of no better way to introduce the new thought expressed and start some discussion on it than to print this letter from Cpl. Tom J. Maloney to our editor: “The August 5th issue of Boxoffice has just reached me overseas and indeed it made interesting fare. Particularly effective and worth some comment was an article on page 52, slug-lined ‘Holds Educational Film Won’t Affect Theatres.’ This article was most informative and after completing it, I thought you might be able to supply some information which would help some soldiers in formulation of postwar plans. “As a U. S. Army Signal Corps newsreel cameraman, I have found that there are a number of us who are definitely interested in entering the educational film field from the production end after the by THE CONDUCTOR war. Without going into tiresome particulars, I can assure you that these men have had technical training and actual experience that will be a definite asset to them when they return to civilian status. Through numerous periodicals, we have been informed numerous times of the glowing prospects in all phases of this new and expanding field. We have reviewed all of our qualifications and feel that this industry should have use for our talents and services. “We would appreciate no end an article especially written from the angle of helping us and other personnel still in service to appraise the actual employment possibilities in the field starting from the production type jobs, cameramen, and so forth, through to distribution, bookers, exchange, and so forth. Included should be approximate salary scales for each position and various chances for advancement through promotion. Projected ex JITTERS & JILLS Prospective Pupil; “Gee, Pops! . . . and you get PAID for seeing Frankie four times a day. What I wouldn’t give for your job! Teach me how, willy a, huh, Pops?’’ pansion plans of the 16mm field should be included in such a coverage. “We realize that Boxoffice is in the strictest sense a tradepaper, but we feel that having contacts both in the 35mm and 16mm industries, you would be best qualified and could reach most of the interested groups in the service, since Boxoffice has a goodly circulation throughout the Armed Forces overseas. It would be one of the most appreciated helps that could be given to us all at this time. “We would also like to know if the newsreel companies which eventually will have to be rejuvenated with new personnel would consider the experience records of these returning veterans — and that could well be another article. What sort of reabsorption can former theatre employes expect upon release? What other new allied industries have been developed or expanded since the war? You may be sure that such a project would find an avid audience over here, as the motion picture industry, no matter in what capacity the individual served, has not lost a potential number of individuals who wish to continue in the field — and who still continue to keep up with developments in the field insofar as they are able while overseas. “The last time I wrote you was to make an entry in the ‘Cine Clinic’ contest two years ago when I was the lucky winner of a two-year subscription to Boxoffice for my entry which was printed. I haven’t been without the magazine since, even overseas. I would appreciate hearing your views on this request and we will all be looking forward to such an article in The Modern Theatre Section. May we hear from you soon? Thank you for your time.” Candidly, Corporal Tom, we cannot speak with authority for all parties at interest in the several questions raised. Some of them are a bit beyond our limited sphere of influence. But, we firmly believe that we speak the will of the entire motion picture industry in broadly assuring you and the rest of the boys in service that your technical training, experience and service rendered will not be overlooked upon your (early, we pray) return to civilian status. Meanwhile, we invite a free and frank discussion herein of the points raised in Tom’s letter, which we shall call to the attention of all parties concerned. Anyone who wants may write to Cpl. Tom J. Maloney in care of this publication. Still think the foxhole boys aren’t postwar planning? Take this typical letter from Sgt. Jack W. Merrill, date-lined “Burma, December 28, 1944:” “I observed a clipping in a recent issue of Boxoffice wherein you offer the services of a Research Bureau set up for postwar theatre planning. There were fifteen subjects listed, any one or all of which would be of interest to me. However, rather than check all fifteen items, I’ve decided to outline my own particular field of in 24 The MODERN THEATRE SECTION