The Exhibitor (Jun-Nov 1942)

4a TERRITORIAL HIGHLIGHTS Crosstown A-Mike Vogel is now WHN’s director of publicity and special promotion, succeeding A1 Simon, who is aiding the Treasury Department in radio sales of war bonds and stamps. . . . Home office employes of RKO Service Corporation were last week given a salary inci'ease of 10 per cent, retroactive to May 29. Harold Danson, Paramount ad man, is summering with his family at Rye Beach . . . Fred Mayer, Universal booking department, was on vacation with his family. Glenn Haines, 21-year-old son of Roy Haines, vice-president, Vitagraph, Inc., last week enlisted in the Army, with immediate assignment to the Air Force Technical School, Kes.sler Field, Miss. Following the windup of the two-day regional sales meeting held in Memphis, Tenn., for the southern division, Warner home office executives headed by Ben Kalmenson left for the company’s studios in Burbank, to confer with H. M. Warner, Lieutenant Colonel J. L. Warner, and S. Charles Einfeld before proceeding to San Francisco for the next regional conference. In the group with Kalmenson were Mort Blumenstock, Norman H. Moray, Arthur Sachson, and Howard Levinson. Roy Haines was called back to New York by urgent business. Joseph Bernhard went direct to the coast from the Chicago meeting. The trade was pleased to hear last week of the marriage of Gilbert Golden, Warner home office ad department, to Miss Jane Hatch, not of the industry. Everyone wishes them well. A. Carl Rigrod, RKO home office publicist, last week was passing out the cigars due to his becoming the daddy of a six pound 14 ounce son, Andrew Carl, born to Mrs. Rigrod at the Sydenham Ho,spital. Eighteen thousand Charlie Chaplin masks were given to children attending a matinee at the RKO Manhattan, Bronx, and Westchester neighborhood theatres. Give-away heralded the coming of “The Gold Rush” to these RKO houses. A block party and service flag raising was staged near the Hillside, Jamaica, L. I., recently. Lou Falk got permission to move his stamps booth into the affair, and sold $725 worth of bonds and $110 worth of stamps. Loew’s Movie Guide, which appears daily in all the local newspapers, celebrated its second anniversary on Aug. 1. Loew executives estimate that Loew’s Movie Guide August 12, 1942 Duals Rapped NEW YORK— Both New Jersey Allied and the ITOA have endorsed the stand of Allied of Illinois against dual bills, according to correspondence revealed last week by the Illinois unit. A wire from Harry H. Lowenstein, president, Jersey Allied, showed approval had been voted, while a resolution was passed by the ITOA board against duals and triples. Schine D. M/s At Annual Meet Gloversville — The Schine circuit’s midsummer district managers’ meeting was held last week, with Major Lou Lazar in charge of the business session after the gathering heard welcomes from J. Myer and Louis W. Schine. The meetings continued through Aug. 6 with discussion of current theatre problems and plans for the fall season taking up most of the sessions. Those slated to be present in addition to home office department heads, were: Harold F. Sliter, Frank Nolan, Ohio; Lew Kensler, Harry Steam, Kentucky; Marsh Gollner, Lee Insley, Maryland; Clint Young, western New York; Bill Tubbert, northern New York; Bud Silverman, Rochester; Harry Goldsmith, Buffalo booker; Chris Pope, Washington booker; Milton Schosberg, Glen Falls; Joe Schwartzwalder. Auburn; F. L. O’Kelly, Cumberland; Leo Shafer, Buffalo. Because of the war, gasoline shortages, and transportation problems, the circuit dispensed with its annual all-manager convention this year. New York — Mike Simons, editor, Metro’s The Distributor, who has been working as business manager of the exhibitors’ forums conducted during the past six months by H. M. Richey, last week visited the meeting of district managers of the Schine circuit conducted by Seymour Morris, director of publicity, at Gloversville. Simons presented to the Schine theatre executives the treatise, “Basic Principles of Motion Picture Advertising in American Newspapers,” which he prepared for presentation at the forums. The study grew out of an original illustrated slide presentation on the subject originally prepared for the first three exhibitors’ forums by the Bureau of Advertising of the American Newspaper Publishers Association. has become part of the daily reading habits of more than 6,000,000 New Yorkers, and it is estimated that in the two year period of its existence, the Movie Guide has been seen by 3,911,738,000 readers of the New York daily and Sunday papers. Bernie Kreisler, U shorts sales chief, came out last week with a key trick, including such sales copy as: “Here are two keys for success, ‘Roar, Navy, Roar,’ and ‘Eagle vs. Dragon’.” . . . Arthur Abeles, formerly with Warners foreign department, is now with 20th Century-Fox as THE EXHIBITOR Grassgreen Upped In 20th-Fox Move Alexander Takes Albany Post Albany — Localites this week greeted the changes in 20th Century-Fox which saw local branch manager Moe Grassgreen upped to the Boston office, with Harry Alexander, Boston sales manager, taking the local branch managership. In the same series of shifts, E. X. Callahan. Boston branch head, takes over the duties of district manager Tom Bailey, who resigned. Several other changes were made in the Boston office. Grassgreen was recently the recipient of a testimonial dinner for his 25 years with the company. Delivery Meeting Held New York — At a meeting held last week at the Film Board of Trade, a cooperative agreement was established to protect distributors, exhibitors, and carriers in connection with the conservation plan recently adopted by exchanges and carriers in compliance with the Office of Defense Transportation order. The conservation program under which exchanges and carriers are now operating includes elimination of Sunday night callbacks and Monday deliveries, the earlier dispatching of trucks, and a reduction of speed. Represented at the meeting were branch managers, office managers, head bookers, shippers, delivery service representatives, and distributor representatives. Local 306 Acts On Strike New York — Local 306, at a meeting held last week passed a resolution to call a strike of projectionists in local studios and screening rooms, both home office and private. Authority to call the strike was placed in the hands of Herman Gelber, president. Local 306. Approximately 300 projectionists are involved, it is said. Disagreement of the union and the employers over the terms of new contracts is held responsible for the action. New pacts had been in negotiation since the old ones expired two years ago, with the union members working under the terms of the old contracts. The union has been asking 10 per cent raises for studio and home office projectionists. a special home office representative. . . . R. Vogeler, 20th Century-Fox international department, joined the service, as did J. Durand, Movietonews. RKO will open its new RKO Midway, Forest Hills, L. I., on Aug. 27. . . . George Fraser, recently with 20th Century-Fox, has joined the WAC in a public relations capacity. Sam Buchwald, general manager, .Famous Studios, arrived from Miami last week (Continued on page 4b) NYS,