Boxoffice (Jan-Mar 1945)

Mail for Morale Drive For "You" in Canada TORONTO — Glenn Ireton of Warner Bros, here is responsible for an important wartime service tieup in connection with a Canada-wide campaign on “The Very Thought of You.” Ireton has promoted a “mail for morale” drive among thousands of war plant workers to encourage the writing of letters to relatives and friends in Canada’s forces on the fighting fronts. Ireton obtained the direct cooperation of the department of national war services at Ottawa, the War Veterans Ass’n, managing officials of war plants and the post office department, all working under the theme of “The Very Thought of You.” Displays of the picture’s stills with appropriate wording were featured in the big plant of General Engineering Co., near Toronto, for instance, booths were set up for letter-writing by employes during off-shift periods, special talks were given over public address systems by government and other officials and special screenings of the picture arranged. A large amount of work was entailed for Ireton in organizi*g the “mail for morale” drive but the results included an immediate jump in letterwriting, a decision to continue the drive permanently and much interest in the film. Columbia Talent Contests Popular in New England Columbia’s George Sand Memorial Talent Search in connection with the New England showings of “A Song to Remember” has attracted general attention. In New Haven WELI sponsored the contest and ran it for 14 days. The arrangements were made by Morris Rosenthal, manager of Loew’s Poli Theatre, and Lou Brown, Loew circuit publicity director. Local prizes included war bonds and a necklace from a local jeweler. The station plugged the contest several times daily. Two New Haven high schools presented the Dr. Sigmund Spaeth tune-tracing records. At Springfield, Mass., the records were used in high schools, junior high schools and intermediate schools. Max Ervin, in charge of music instruction in schools, helped on the stunt. Blue Ribbon Winners Click at Rolla, N. D. ROLLA, N. D. — Nine of last year’s 12 prize winning pictures as selected by members of the National Screen Council have been exhibited by the Rolla Theatre here. The other three NSC choices are booked for spring engagements. The nine already shown are: “So Proudly We Hail,” “Thank Your Lucky Stars,” “Guadalcanal Diary,” “Lassie Come Home,” “Destination Tokyo,” “Madame Curie,” “A Guy Named Joe,” “See Here, Private Hargrove” and “Going My Way.” The other three on the prize list, which are to be shown here are “For Whom the Bells Toll,” “The White Cliffs of Dover” and “The Story of Dr. Wassell.” Wish 'Em Well Pays PRATT, KAS. — Roy Tucker, city manager for the Commonwealth circuit here, constructed a “Wish ’Em Well” of compoboard and set it up in the lobby of the Barron Theatre, and achieved fine results in the March of Dimes drive. The “well” collected about $50, and did not detract from the seat collections in the Barron and the Kansas, the other Commonwealth house here. They garnered about $900. Some Original Theatre Ads "THIS MUST BE THE WOODS— LISTEN TO ’EM LAUGH AT BOB HOPE" GOOFY WEEK! ■/Y/HY ’tAu.H4iv , ; __ . mm ■OWW»N 'S fAMUl ■ Vfll ■ IN »AMUIL i'Ol/OWrN J ; i*| The p/mcm wm* rmfe t+l * j j VIRGINIA MAYOVICTOR MclAGLEN ■mUAbH WAITER 5RENNAN v WALTER SLP.Z.AK. cats snows — to 6 > BLACKOUT NEWS ITEM: OUTDOOR Ordered by War Production Board BLACK FOR BROWNOUT— The Woods, Chicago, used the above 3x614 reverse plate with a few white breaks on the day the brownout took effect. AVURI) SHE was a boomtown beauty! HE was a rich, romantic rogue! Their love story is gusty, lusty and glorious! Storc of "Mrs. Miniver” in another triumph— During tha Year We Have Run Through Our Projection Machines and Hato Carefully Watched 172 Feature Pictures That’s . . . 90 Feet of Film Per Minute! k5,40fl Feet of Film Per Hour! 59,400 Feet of Film Per Day! 21,502,800 Feet of the Best Motion Picture Productions During the Year! 7&e Scnceiely ‘B&ltwe $tdi. TkmmI J00AY MORE BRENNAN ORIGINALITY— E. R. Brennan of the Bay, Green Bay, Wis., consistently draws from his own imagination for original ideas and arrangements of his ads. Here he uses small photos of the Bay's projectionists for an interesting 3x16 layout. A PREMIERE AD— This 3x10 layout with its graphic paratroop illustration was one of the ads used in the campaign for the premiere of the film at the New York Strand. DIFFERENT — The reverse of the usual black horror film ads featuring grotesque figures is the above 2x2 used recently by the RKO Grand in Chicago. STANLEY-WARNER ^FRH}A'f"MIDNIU fairs 9psa 11:30 P. B, . Last fatm 315 1 * HSS SECRET MEANT DEATHS. , to cite man if he didn’t talk— to thousands if he did! HAUNTED by Night! -.tfie SCREEN'S all-time aroma o( SUSPENSE! from the thriller by GRAHAM GREENE writer of Spy Storrcs ARRESTING DESIGN— Irving Blumberg, director of advertising and publicity for Warners’ Philadelphia theatres, turned out an excellent combination of black and white design in this 2x3!4-inch ad for his thriller program at the Stanton. BOXOFFICE Showmandiser : : Feb. 17, 1945 3