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

“Young Mr. Lincoln Special” NEW DYNAMO 21A ACE U. S. CRITICS “COVER” PREVIEW FROM COAST TO COAST WHO WERE ON SPECIAL TRAIN AND PULLMANS Ace motion picture critics and editors from Kansas City to the Atlantic coast and from the Canadian border to the gulf of Mexico joined with theatregoers and distin- guished citizens in acclaiming “Young Mr. Lincoln” at Springfield, 111. For the first time in the industry’s history of world premieres staged outside of New York or Hollywood, the metropolitan newspapers like The Times, Herald-Tribune and Sun assigned staff aces to the Springfield affair. As a result the premiere was front-page “copy” in all important cities on Wednesday. It was estimated by Western Union and Postal Tele- graph attaches in Springfield that the correspondents on hand filed more than 75,000 words to their news- papers. Wirephoto experts were on hand to wire premiere pic- tures to Hearst and other newspapers throughout the nation. Newspaper writers west of Kansas City were not on hand because of showings in their cities scheduled for Thursday, along with many pre-release openings set for Friday. Coast critics were to view the picture at the preview at Wilshire theatre in Los Angeles Friday night, with Marian Anderson, famous Negro contralto, singing there, too. Among those who were transported to Springfield either in the special train from New York or in special Pullman cars from Chicago: ALBANY Roseberry, C. R Knickerbocker News Vail Olincla, Edgar S Times-Uiiion BALTIMORE Clark, Norman News Post Azrael, Louis American BLOOMINGTON Wells, Herman B Indiana University BOSTON Adams, Marjory Globe Browning, Harry M & P Theatres Doyle, Peggy American Eager, Helen Traveler Hall, Prunella Post Howard, Charles Globe Hutchens, John Transcript BUFFALO Martin, W. E. J Courier-Express McCoy, Tom Times Smith, Ardis News Taylor, Charles Shea’s Buffalo Theatre CHICAGO Arden, Doris Times. Day, Dorothy Herald & Examiner Deere, Dorothy American Halperin, Hal Variety Herzoff, Arch B & K Theatres Lewis, Lloyd News Marsters, Ann American CINCINNATI Dinerman, E. V RKO Palace Theatre Radclilfe, E. B Enquirer CLEVELAND Spaeth, Arthur Press DAYTON Kany, A. S Journal Herald DETROIT Gentry, Charles Times Pooler, James S Free Press Remington, Harry Fox Detroit Theatre Weitschat, A1 News HOLLYWOOD Barnes, Binnie 20th Century-Fox Studios Brady, Alice 20th Century-Fox Studios Collins, Eddie 20tli Century-Fox Studios Dnmienhnum, R 20th Century-Fox Studios Dods, Hector 20th Ceatury-Fox Studios Romero, Cesar 20tli Century-Fox Studios Whelan, Arleen 20tli Century-Fox Studios INDIANAPOLIS Patrick, Corbin Star Whitworth, Walter News KANSAS CITY Elmer Rhoden Fox Midwest Ward E. Scott 20th Century-Fox George W. Fuller 20tli Century-Fox LINCOLN Copeland, W. D Lincoln College MILWAUKEE Herzog, Buck Sentinel Nlanfried, Walter Journal MINNEAPOLIS Potter, Merle journal Winchell, Charles Minn. Amusement Co. NEW YORK CITY Best, Katherine Stage Magazine Bush, Rodney 20th Century-Fox Chambliss, Bill 20th Century-Fox Creelinan, Eileen Sun Crichton, Kyle Collier’s Crowther, Bosley Times Davidson, Louis 20th Century-Fox Farrell, Frank World-Telegram Ferri, Roger 20th Century-Fox Friend, Ted Mirror Gaynor, Leonard 20th Century-Fox Harrison, Dale AP Harrower, Jack Film Daily Hertz, Emanuel Writer Johaneson, Bland Mirror Kami, Red Box Office Kennedy, Tom Showman’s Trade Review' Ljiit, George INS Lincer, 1 20tli Century-Fox McCarthy, Charles E 20tli Century-Fox Mentlik, Lew' Exhibitor Mortimer, Lee Mirror Mosher. Jack King Features Olsen, Russell Time Magazine Pelsw'ick, Rose Journal American Ramsaye, Terry Motion Picture Herald Reid, Louis Cosmopolitan Production Robinson, Thomas L 20th Century-Fox Sauer, Jeanette 20th Century-Fox Shain, Sam Motion Picture Daily Shere, Sam INP Sileo, Jimmy .Cosmo-Sileo Photos Smith, Frederick James Liberty Thomas, Lowell 20th Century-Fox, Movietone News Walker, John Herald Tribune Wilbert, Christy 20tli Century-Fox Wingart, Earl 20tli Century-Fox Younger, Joan UP PHILADELPHIA Callow, Everett C Warner Circuit Finn, Elsie Record Cohen, Harold Krug, Karl Monahan, Ivaspar Cadoret, William Miller, A. M Knight, William PITTSBURGH Post-Gazette Sun-Telegraph Press ROCHESTER Regent Theatre Times-Union ROCKFORD Illinois Bar Association Boone, Marion . . . Kaufman, Les . . . Monk, Herbert L. Reingold, B. B. Thompson, Don . . Ware, George . . . . Eskin, Abe Williams, L Lampe, Gus Barron, Carter . . . Carmody, Jay . . . . Hillyer, Katherine Kelley, Andrew . . ST. LOUIS SYRACUSE Star-Times . . Fanchon «& Marco Globe-Democrat . . .20tli Century-Fox Post-Dispatch . . .20th Century-Fox . . .20th Century-Fox . . . 20th Century-Fox RKO Schine Theatre WASHINGTON Loew’s Theatres Star N ews . . . Times-Herald LOCAL PRESS COVERAGE SUPERB FROM EVERY ANGLE SHEETS PUT ON MORE WRITERS—A COLUMN Spring-field newspapers went metropolitan in coverage of the world premiere of “Young Mr. Lincoln.” They covered it from every con- ceivable angle. Editorial writers were turned loose on the resultant story. Yes, they even brought forth what used to be journalistically referred to as the “sob sisters.” Springfield newspaper columnists never had a better “break” and they made the most of their opportunity. Even the sports writers were on the job. And as for the two society editors—well, they had the day of days. The two Springfield newspapers brought cameramen from nearby cities with which to augment their staffs, for there was much to cover pictorially at this premiere. Below we are reprinting, in its entirety, the Illinois State Register column written by Springfield’s ace columnist, V. Y. Dallman, on the day of the premiere: • MANAGER ZIMMER of the Fox-Lincoln Theater wears a Kleig smile today! And why not? He, and his New York associates have all of us—papers, paupers, princes, patricians, preachers, politicians (The Peepul)—ballyhooing for tonight’s premiere presenta- tion of a picture show—“Young Mr. Lincoln”! I do hope that Vachel Lindsay was right when he said that “Lincoln walks the streets of Springfield,” and that Mr. Lincoln gets a nice reserved seat in Mr. Zim- mer’s pretty playhouse and sees himself as others see him! It is my guess that when it is all over and the re- porters interview Mr. Lincoln, he will smile, wonder why they mounted him, a Republican, on a Democratic donkey, compare that comparatively safe means of transportation with the unbelievable auto and plane of todav. express doubt that Lowell Thomas is actually talking to the whole Nation over the air, and say: “It’s a lot o’ fuss to make over a homely old man like I am, but I do like that Miss Marian Anderson! To see her, a talented representative of the race that was once in slavery, now proclaimed by all of the peonle, white and black, here in my old home town—Springfield —and to know that her rich voice, broadcast to North and South alike, is the symbol of unity and brotherly love, is happy realization of my fondest dream! I’ll Eddie Collins Comes in Quietly; Leaves Acclaimed Comedian Eddie Collins arrived in Springfield, 111., little known, so he thought, and quietly. But by 3 o’clock in the afternoon he was being followed around town much like kids used to trail Babe Ruth. Eddie Collins endeared himself to every man and woman in Springfield. He left acclaimed—he came to town an un- known and left a star. This veteran trouper was given an ovation everywhere he went. The newspapers editorialized on the crowds’ reception to him and the loud and long applause he got every time he spoke. And when after “Young Mr. Lincoln” was shown it was direct to him and Alice Brady that the crowd rushed. In fact, had it not been for the aid of police officers, Eddie would never have got out with an inch of his clothing on. He was mobbed, but he took it all good-naturedly and signing autographs. It was truly a memorable day for Eddie Collins —and he left Springfieldians much happier and as his friends and ardent boosters. Famous Singer and Manager The famous and incomparable Marian Anderson, whose singing was the outstanding feature of the Coast-to-Coast broadcast not only at the world pre- miere in Springfield, but also at the press-preview in Los Angeles. With her is her alert manager, A. Hurok. sleep better now beneath the God-given maples with my family and old friends in Oak Ridge!” ® I WISH THAT LOWELL THOMAS would incorpo- rate in his broadcasts some of the words of Lindsay who knew Lincoln only as a super-mind and super-soul could know him! © TO ALL OF THE stars here today—cinema, jour- nalistic, radio and in whatever sphere—I commend as part of the drama, “Young Mr. Lincoln,” what Lincoln said of Springfield—“To this place I owe everything,” and what Lindsay wrote “On The Building Of Spring- field”: “Let not our town be large, remembering That little Athens was the Muses’ home. That Oxford rules the heart of London still, That Florence gave the Renaissance to Rome. “Record it for the grandson of your son— A city is not builded in a day: Our little town cannot complete her soul Till countless generations pass away. “Now let each child be joined as to a church To her perpetual hopes, each man ordained: Let every street be made a reverent aisle Where Music grows and Beauty is unchained. “Let Science and Machinery and Trade Be slaves of her, and make her all in all. Building against our blatant, restless time An unseen, skillful, medieval wall. “Let every citizen be rich toward God. Let Christ, the beggar, teach divinity. Let no man rule who holds his money dear. Let this, our city, be our luxury. “We should build parks that students from afar Would choose to starve in, rather than go home. Fair little squares, with l’hidian ornament, Food for the spirit, milk and honeycomb. “Say, is my prophecy too fair and far? I only know, unless her faith be high, The soul of this, our Nineveh, is doomed. Our little Babylon, will surely die. “Some city on the breast of Illinois No wiser and no better at the start By faith shall rise redeemed, by faith shall rise Bearing the western glory in her heart, “The genius of the Maple, Elm and Oak, The secret hidden in each grain of corn, The glory that the prairie angels sing At night when sons of Life and Love are born, “Born, but to struggle, squalid and alone. Broken and wandering in their early years. When will they make our dusty streets their goal, Within our attics hide their sacred tears? “When will they start our vulgar blood athrill With living language, words that set us free? When will they make a path of beauty clear Between our riches and our liberty? “We must have many Lincoln-hearted men. A city is not builded in a day. And they must do their w r ork, and come and go, While countless generations pass away.” V. Y. DALLMAN, SR. (Admiral).