Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1938)

New Group Is Formed in Kaycee To Handle Advertising Pictures K A\ Y CC IE IE ■pWENTIETH-FOX held a trade screening at the Cozy Theatre, Norton, Kas., on “Suez” Monday night. George Puller, branch manager for the film company, was one of those who attended from here . . . Mrs. Jack Truitt, wife of the manager of the Electric Theatre in Kansas City, Kas., underwent a serious operation last Saturday at Menorah Hospital. While she is reported recuperating satisfactorily, she will be confined to the hospital for a month or so. Add theatremen on Filmrow: John Kongs, Seneca, Kas.; Orville Conard, Huntsville, Ark.; Lester McCormick, Green Forest, Ark. . . . Homer Blackwell of the Independent Poster exchange left with Mrs. Blackwell, Wednesday morning, on a two-week motor trip that will take them to Grand Rapids, Chicago, Cincinnati and Nashville. On Friday, Mrs. Paul Hannon, wife of the Paramount salesman, was operated on at Trinity Lutheran Hospital. On Saturday, Paul was driving south of Belton, Mo., when he ran into a coal truck to avoid a car passing the truck on a curve. As the badly smashed car was being towed into Kansas City, it slipped its moorings, rolled across a street and smacked into a parked car. Which is a big two days’ worth, Paul thinks. Speaking of car accidents, George Hinton of Paramount was mentioned in the Boxoffice “15-YearsAgo” column last week as having turned over in his car. He is now just recovering from a car wreck that occurred several weeks ago. These shiny faces were picking up dust on 18th St. this week: Rex Barrett, Columbia, Mo.; Curly Wilson, Excelsior Springs Mo.; Gene Kincaid, Mainstreet, Lexington, Mo.; Lee Sproule, Newton, Kas.; Ralph Winship, Phillipsburg, Kas.; J. R. Cook, Missouri, Maryville, Mo.; John Brandt, Oregon, Mo.; Tom Wilhoit, Plattsburg, Mo. Lee Balsly, head of the ad sales for 20 th-Fox, was here Monday. He used to he a theatre man in this territory, and a visit here is more or less a homecoming for Lee. M-G-M held a trade showing of “The Citadel” at W. D. Fulton’s Vogue here this week. Frank Hensler arranged it. About 200 exhibitors attended from in and out of town. Roy Williams, new owner of the Aladdin, Mound City, Kas., was on Filmrow . . . W. P. “Senator” Bernfield is in the southwest covering the exploitation on “Drums" at Phoenix and Tucson for United Artists. Jay Means had one of his big Popeye matinees last Saturday afternoon. The kids jammed in and really raised the roof. A week before, Means had films taken of club members going into the theatre. As usual, it proved a whale of an attraction. A. J. Simmons of the Plaza at Lamar, Mo., is vacationing in California. Kansas City — A rough spot in the film advertising field has been ironed out with the formation here recently of the Association of Advertising Film Companies, which has evolved a plan for handling ad films a part or all of the cost of which must be sold to dealers. There are three principal types of film ads: Local dealer ads which can be sold to local dealers in many towns for the advertising of their services, their “signature” being dubbed in in each instance; national ads, placed by national advertisers on the screens of theatres where coverage is desired, much as he buys newspaper space. A third type of film advertising, which is responsible for the formation of the Association of Advertising Film Companies, is the dealer cooperative or participating film ad campaign. The manufacturer pays for the production of a picture and the cost of the negatives. The manufacturer’s dealers then must pay a part or all of the cost of showing the films in their local theatres. Contracts of this kind usually are originated by one film ad company, and the film ad company sells the dealers on such participation. A difficulty arose in the distribution of cooperative campaigns, however. Each of the film ad companies has a certain number of theatres under contract to play its film ads exclusively. This meant that the film ad company that sold a manufacturer on the idea of a cooperative or participating campaign could not promise the manufacturer representation in those theatres with which other film ad companies had exclusive contracts. “Obviously, our medium is best serving a manufacturer when the manufacturer can be assured that his film campaign will be offered to his dealer organization for showing in all theatres in the U. S. which screen advertising films, regardless of what film company holds screening contracts with such theatres,” commented W. H. Hendren, president of United Film Ad Service, Inc., here. “Recognizing this fact, and realizing that unless we ourselves did something about it, sooner or later the advertisers would lose interest in cooperative national programs, representatives of all the principal advertising film companies in the U. S. gathered here to discuss the problem. They have now worked out a plan under which all the member companies (Continued on page 24) An Announcement of Great Importance to Every Theatre Owner and Manager! TRRIL€R-mHD€ SCRVICC, HC. IN ASSOCIATION WITH PATHE FILM CORP. Opens Office in Kansas City Supplying a Service That Is Sorely Needed TRAILERS THAT SELL BUT DON'T TELL ALL! With a policy that you asked for, TRAILERS AT LIVE AND LET LIVE PRICES! Results: This service has met with immediate national approval of independents and circuits alike. Write Us About Your Trailer Troubles TRAILCR-mODC S6RVIC6 of KRNSRS CITY BEVERLY MILLER, Mgr. Ill West 18th St. Victor 3535 BOXOFFICE : : October 29, 1938 19