20th Century-Fox Dynamo (October 7, 1939)

NEW DYNAMO 3 CINCINNATI REPORTS SRO WITH NEW RECORD IN SIGHT Everything that all who had seen Zanuck’s first 1939-40 Technicolor super special, “Hollywood Cavalcade,” predicted it would be, that prediction Friday was turning into concrete fact! A wire from the Cincinnati theatre manager Friday morning indi- cated that this great attraction was not only given an ovation, but packed them in that previous night. Stacked up against the biggest opposition Cincinnati could offer, the world’s series, in which every human there is personally interested and follows to the last out, “Hollywood Cavalcade” got off to a flying start Thursday at its first engagement east of Los Angeles. New York Exhibitors Gladly Join Praise Parade! Nationally known exhibitors, circuit operators and bookers and independent exhibitors joined the New York exchange dollar delivery crew in applauding “Hollywood Cavalcade” when it was given a trade showing at the Ziegfield theatre in New York Tuesday morning. Among those present were: (1) Walter Reade, Jr., Harry Buxbaum, Arthur Waycoff and A1 Mendelsohn; (2) Mrs. Florin Seymour and attaches from the Snaper circuit; (3) W. Brown, Elizabeth, N. J.; (4) A critic; (5) W. Schutzer, Peter Fishman, Seymour Jones and a friend of the latter; (6) Joe Lee and Wilbur Snaper; (7) B. S. Moss at whose old Broadway theatre in New York the first Mack Sennett’s bathing beauties personally and on the screen made their debut; (8) M. Davis of Randforce circuit, and George Longbart; (9) Seymour Florin, Leon Kuttler, Abe Blumstein, Bob Brodkin and the latter’s sister; (10) A1 Mendelsohn, George Blenderman, Abe Blumstein, Walter Schutzer, Francis Bregman, Louis Kuttler and Peter Fishman, and (11) A. J. Barriault, Hyannis, Mass., newspaperman, Roger Ferri and Harry Buxbaum. Crowded in when news- papers turned their entire resources to coverage of the world series, “Hollywood Cavalcade” smashed through this terrific competition and brought down crowded houses Thursday night to applause that left no doubt in the mind of the manager that it would establish a new record. EXHIBITORS LEAD CHEERS'! Coast Premiere Historic And Unprecedented Success! Branch Managers Predict “Alexander” Business! Several thousand exhibitors from big and small towns led the week’s cheering of “Hollywood Cavalcade.” Branches were flooded with congratulatory wires and letters from showmen who were at various theatres where this Zanuck triumph was given a trade showing this week. Hundreds of these wires and letters reached this desk. In fact, they were so numerous that it would require at least 20 pages to reprint them. Typical of the circuit operators’ viewpoint was this opinion from Rick Ricketson of Denver: “I don’t know what top box office picture to compare this to, but we know that here is a picture that will be tops at the box office.” Harry Schreiber of the RKO theatres in Columbus, 0., said: “Something different and very novel and should prove one of the season’s outstanding attractions.” Typical of the small-town exhibitors’ opinion was this expression from Charles Wilson of the Bijou, Troy, N. Y.: “Swell picture—and swell from any angle. Particularly swell for box office purposes.” William Kraemer of the Schine circuit in the Washington terri- tory wrote: “Great. Sustained love interest, pathos, beauty. This picture has everything.” Continued on Page 6 To no greater test could, or will, “Hollywood Caval- cade” be put than it is being subjected to in Cincinnati. A wire to the Home Office Fri- day morning reported an audi- ence reaction that surpassed all expectations. Even with most Cincinnatians’ ears glued to the radio listening to progress of the world’s series games in New York, “Hollywood Cavalcade” opened to a matinee’s business twice greater than that of the attraction it had just suc- ceeded. But, even more corroborative of the trade’s expectations that “Hollywood Cavalcade” will es- tablish new earnings records was word from Los Angeles regard- ing the sensational first public showing of the production there on Thursday, following the his- toric $11 world premiere at the Four-Star theatre there the pre- vious evening. Like newspapers in Cincinnati, the sheets in Los Angeles car- ried out-and-out rave reviews. THE REVIEWS Editorials bespoke the trade press’ enthusiastic reaction to this production. Chester B. Bahn of Film Daily, for instance, editorially wrote: “First rate entertain- ment, this Darryl F. Zanuck pro- duction in Technicolor is right down the American fan’s alley.” Arthur James, writing in the New York Film Curb, shouted: “This is a surefire offering that any theatre will be glad to pre- sent as it will more than satisfy audiences. It is one of the great- est entertainments of the sea- son.” Hollywood Reporter head- lined: “Twentieth Century-Fox has a definite hit and one that should fit into the top bracket of ticket sellers in any part of the world, whether in war-torn Europe, in the farthest reaches of South America or here in the American theatres. It will stimulate every box office.” Los Angeles Examiner said: “To Darryl Zanuck goes our thanks for giving us a picture that offers such entertainment. The house rocked with laughter.” Los Angeles Times observed: “ ‘Hollywood Cavalcade’ is a ‘must’ picture for the film audi- ence in general. Bouquets be- long to all.” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express: “A great picture of a great industry that every- one will hurry to see. It can’t help pleasing every type of mov- iegoer.” The Hollywood Citizen edito- rialized on the production. It said: “It takes a great picture to vision the progress of so great an industry. ‘Hollywood Caval- cade’ tackled that job. And a great job it is, too.”