20th Century-Fox Dynamo (June 3, 1939)

“Young Mr. Lincoln Special” NEW DYNAMO 13A FOUR STATES’ MOVIEGOERS JOIN “LINCOLN” OVATION “Springfield’s Greatest Day in 20 Years” Darryl Zanuck IN TODAY’S PAPER ilUinota dJournal FOUNDED IN 1831 prlngfleld’t All-Day Newspapor Glv International News Sen jpNE Hundred eighth year SPRINGFIELD. ILL., WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, .1939 EIGHTEEN PAGES PRICE 3 CENTS STARS THRILL THRONG AT PREMIERE NewsJlehind By PAUL MALLON. Shaw Wins In Auto Classic Roberts Dies City Is Host To Famous Personages At Film Showing Crowds Hail Luminaries Of Screen And Radio In Gala Day Of Entertainment At Premiere Of “Young Mr. Lincoln.” Film Celebrities Greeted By Huge Crowd On Arrival Throngs Line Streets To See Screen Stars Here For Premiere. Henry Fonda As Lincoln Is “Unbeatable” Greatest ■ Ovations Of Day Won By Friendly Eddie Collins. City Praised By Stars Marian Anderson Given Five Curtain Call3 At Performance. (Continued from page 2 A) Too bad Mr. Zanuck is not here. These folks say what they mean. No double-talking out here. When you ask, you get a frank, honest opinion—like it or not. But one need not have been timid about asking ticket-buyers or critics or exhibitors what they thought of “Young Mr. Lincoln.” Applause and lobby comments furnished the answer. Elsewhere in this issue, New Dynamo presents excerpts from critics’ and exhibitors’ comments. Exhibitors hail “Young Mr. Lincoln” as “just what the industry needs today.” And that means greater patronage, higher box office figures. By Wednesday night millions of newspaper readers knew that “Young Mr. Lincoln” was something out of the ordinary, an entertainment that will bring maximum enjoyment to every type and age of theatregoer. No picture this company has ever released was more brilliantly presented. The advance exploitation campaign, under the supervision of Publicity and Advertising Manager Charles E. McCarthy, was a masterpiece. All you need know that it was assuredly that is that more than 50,000 people were in town to attend the premiere, to see the stars. Springfield will never again know so festive a day as that which brought “Young Mr. Lincoln” to town. They came from four States — Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Iowa — by train, automobiles and busses. The night before the premiere it was appar- ent the police would have to adopt emergency measures to cope with the crowds. And so orders were given that only automobiles and taxis transporting pre- miere visitors, guests of the State of Illinois and city of Springfield, would be al- lowed downtown. And that was a wise decision. The downtown streets of Spring- field were jammed—lanes wide enough to permit automobiles to chug through were estab- lished with no little difficulty. But a better behaved crowd of 50,000 souls—that’s the police’s estimate—you will never find in any man’s town. LOWELL THOMAS IS ON THE JOB Lowell Thomas officiated at two broadcasts, at his own and on the Coast-to-Coast hookup that featured him, Marian An- derson, Alice Brady, Eddie Col- lins, and Arleen Whelan, who are in the cast of “Young Mr. Lincoln”; Binnie Barnes and Cesar Romero. Marian Anderson given five curtain calls! She had to sing an extra number. She was billed and did sing five. But, so per- sistent was the audience for more she accommodated with a rendition of “Tramping.” And 15 minutes later she was on a train Chicago-bound. In Chi- cago she was to connect with the streamliner that took her to Los Angeles where she arrived Friday morning. She repeated her triumph at the Coast press- preview of “Young Mr. Lin- coln” that night. A NIGHT OF REAL TRIUMPH It was a day of many individ- ual triumphs. Henry Fonda was not present, but his performance drew raves. Critics nominated him for the Academy award for the year’s best performance. Alice Brady got the same sort of comment she earned as “Ma” O’Leary in “In Old Chicago.” As already reported, Darryl Zanuck was the recipient of thanks—and of commendation such as you seldom hear at gatherings of hard-boiled ex- perts. And John Ford and Lamar Trotti, too, were praised. imploring h Hopkins' Weather Forecast Report Russia To Join In Aid Pact Anglo-French Proposal: Are Accepted. Salvage Crew Pauses In Work Of Raising Hulk. Pickets Attacked Memorial Rites At Graves j At Briggs Plant; Honor City’s Sold ier Dead 1 1 One Man Shot. Another Tr,butes Paid At Lincoln’s Tomb And Veterans’ 1 - Severely Beaten. Plots; Procession To Cemetery Opens Service Franco Desires Peaceful Spain Victory Parade Held By Women Fascists. ft. Olive Woman Fatally Injured Mrs. Gottleib Franz Hit By Car On Route 66. Boy Lassoes Freight Train; Enters Hospital ‘Go North, Yeung Man,” King Urges Asks Canada To Become Mediating Force. Americana Armando Notes Wrong Display Of Flag. But, out of this premiere came conclusive evidence that in Eddie Collins we have a poten- tial star, a rare personality. For instance, editorially thp Illinois State Journal on Wed- nesday printed: “Greatest ova- tions of the day were won by friendly Eddie Collins.” And that was no exaggeration. Ed- die came in quietly, but he left town a conquering hero. From the moment the special train from New York pulled into the C. & A. station, things began to happen in this town. An hour later the crack Ann Rutledge Limited arrived with the stars — and then the pro- gram was officially under way. As the streamliner eased its way into the station through closely guarded lines established by State police, headed by Chief Walter Williams and in direct command of Lieut. Raymond May, the crowd jamming the Alton station platform and Jef- ferson street sighted the stars— and broke into cheers. CROWDS RULE, BUT ORDERLY The police rushed into action. A path to the north end of the .station was cleared by police and deputy sheriffs — but the crowd was too quick for them and it broke through. For a while things looked dangerous, but quickly the police became master of the situation. But not until Mrs. Lowell Thomas was pushed blocks away from her husband, hats were crushed and baggage strewn along the platform. But no one seemed to mind—and soon ev- erybody recovered their posses- sions; all excepting hats. The autograph-seekers got busy, but the stars had been pre- pared. All along the C. & A. line, at every stop, hundreds crowded the stations and cheered the stars. It was the same way along the Santa Fe route from Winslow to Kansas City. About 10 minutes were given over to the numerous photogra- phers who wanted pictures. And they “shot“ from every angle. Finally, the stars were led to their cars and the motorcade started. It took a snake-line route. In and out of the downtown streets chugged the scores of privately owned cars offered by citizens to the city for the day. Between the railroad station and Leland and Abraham Lin- (Continued on page 20 A)