20th Century-Fox Dynamo (April 18, 1953)

SCHMERTZ NEARING HALF CENTURY WITH THIS COMPANY Dear Roger: I read with great interest your column, "Behind The News." Es- pecially was I interested in the article wherein you referred to an important anniversary this year, stating it will be my 40th year with the company. Somewhere along the line, someone there lost the records. In 1913 you state I joined the company known as Box Office Attractions. The lost records of the start of this organization would show The Greater New York Film Rental Company that William Fox formed, and was in business for eight or nine years when he incorporated as Box Office Attrac- tions. The lost years of approximately seven or more with Greater New York Film Rental Company included those before I was trans- ferred to Box Office Attractions. So, it might interest you to know that within the next two or three years, my association with this organization will be a half century, or 50 years. Also, I notice you refer to Bessie Allen being with the company 38 years. She was my sec- retary back in the days of Greater New York Film Rental Company and she was with me for many years. You also refer to Jack Wolff being 39 years with the company. He was my cashier at the Greater New York Film Rental Company, after I was there for a number of years. ™MAILBAG I. J. SCHMERTZ Dear Roger: Eddie Yarbrouth (Western exploitation representative) has done a fine job in bringing to the attention of the public and trade here our most recent develop- ment, cinema Sc ope. For your information I was with Greater New York Film Rental Company, Box Office At- tractions, Inc., Fox Film Corporation and then 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. Kindest personal regards. ^ Sincerely, I.J. SCHMERTZ Cleveland branch manager Always At Your Service Dear Roger: I meant to personally deliver this message, but Mr. Skouras has kept me busy up to the minute of my departure from New York. However, let me thank you very much for the very wonderful co-operation we of the Euro- pean sales organization regularly get from you. We set up our sales plans, etc., from the indispensible information you regularly give us through Dynamo. The best tribute I can pay Dynamo is that our competitors all over Europe envy us for having such a help- ful journal. It would be difficult to efficiently operate without it, for it furnishes the link that keeps us in touch with all that is going on at the studio and in the domestic market. Thanks in behalf of everyone in the European organization. It was nice seeing you again. Best to you, Sincerely, ALBERT CORNFIELD European managing director Louis Schine of Schine circuit shakes hands with Executive Assistant General Sales Manager W.C. Gehring (right) after the former had seen CinemaScope at the studio. "To me CinemaScope is the greatest thing that has happened to our business since sound," said Mr. Schine. 4,117 Including 811 Exhibitors, Attended CinemaScope Showings! Dear Roger: Here are some statistics in connection with the recent CinemaScope demonstrations here. Exactly 4,117 people attended 25 demonstrations from Thursday, .March 19 through Wednesday, March 25. Originally, only 12 such demonstrations had been scheduled. 811 exhibitors from all parts of the United States and Canada attended four demonstrations held for them. In addition, we had 38 exhibitors from Japan, England, Australia, India, Mexico, Argentina, Italy and Greece. Each demonstration ran 43 minutes. Every studio, major and independent, was represented. We had some 250 production technicians present. On the final three days we had exactly 633 stockholders. We also had several hundred leading Coast bankers and brokers, and Western representatives of banks of other large U.S. cities. Total press representation, including magazines here and abroad and all of the news-distributing syndicates, was more than 500. Sincerely, HARRY BRAND Studio Publicity Director When we of the Coast visited the studio in January—January 10, to be exact-and saw the first results of CinemaScope, Yarbrough contacted the city desks of the Denver Rocky Mountain News, the Salt Lake City Tribune, the Seattle PI (Post-Intelligencer), the Portland Ore- gonian, the San Francisco Examiner, the Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Chronicle regarding the AP wire-story sent out for release Monday, Feb. 2. All papers carried the story with the Rocky Mountain News and the Seattle PI front- paging it. When Eddie returned to San Francisco he discovered that the wire story had been blue-pencilled down in all papers and very little "play” given to it. So he, person- ally, went to Bill Hogan of the San Fran- cisco Chronicle (drama editor) to make a personal "pitch.” The result was the front-page, eight-column masthead story on Friday, Feb. 6., and this was followed with an editorial. Hogan was appreciative of getting the advance exclusive for his paper. Hogan requested a chance to see Cinema- Scope at first opportunity. . . so he went on to L.A. for the recent demonstrations. The result is what I believe to be the greatest recognition ever given a commercial effort and achievement in a metropolitan news- paper. I think you will agree with me that Eddie’s initiative has paid off handsomely. Best regards. Sincerely yours, HERMAN WOBBER Where There’s A Way. . . ! Dear Roger: The Smith & Howell organization, which hauls our film, had a strike that lasted three days the other week-end. Much of the film had to go through via express. We were fortunate in that we didn’t have a missout, thanks to our bookers and ship- pers. Th e y merit mention for a tough job perfectly done. Cordially, NAT ROSEN Albany branch manager (Editor’s note: Swell work, Bookers John Sharpe, and Shippers Leo W. Corrigan and Robert P. Roth.) Memo From A Critic Dear Rog: 20th Century-Fox need not worry about competition from TV, radio, or anywhere else, so long as they can turn our such refreshing and zingy entertainment like "Call Me Madam.” Sincerely, NORMAN CLARK Motion Picture Editor, Baltimore News-Post Rige 27