The Exhibitor (Jun-Nov 1944)

5 NATIONAL ALLIED ACTS ON TICKETS Seeks To Prevent BGind Checking Bretton Woods, N. H. — At the meeting of Allied’s national board of directors last week a committee headed by H. A. Cole and including Sidney Samuelson and Na¬ than Yamins was formed to study a num¬ ber of suggestions submitted by exhibitors for a ticket numbering method which would protect the Government’s revenue, and, at the same time, prevent blind checking by the distributors. A definite plan will be drawn up later. The Allied board condemned the alleged efforts of the distributors “in attempting to exact for re-issues prices far in excess of those charged for that class of pictures during the 1943-44 season.” In the future, National Allied will send a representative to each of the Pacific Coast Conference meetings on the coast, with Martin Smith, Allied president, being elected to attend the December PCC ses ¬ sion. It has been the custom for some time for PCC to send one or more delegates to Allied meetings. A committee of five Allied members will be appointed to consult with other branches of the industry on the matter of the disposal of Government film equip¬ ment after the war, to endeavor to prevent the wartime equipment and films from becoming a competitive force. The board deferred action on the pro¬ posal to line up with a producing organi¬ zation to obtain product on a franchise basis, but a committee headed by Irving Dollinger will explore all possibilities. National Allied, through its regional units, will sponsor the collection of sports equipment to be donated to convalescent hospitals for returning service men. Speakers at the banquet included Na¬ than Yamins, Robert Wright, Hugh Bruen, Louis Nizer, Martin Smith, and Abram F. Myers. Pep Club Rides New York — Approximately 250 reserva¬ tions have been made for a Paramount Pep Club boat ride and picnic at Bear Moun¬ tain on Sept. 16. A full day of activities is planned, including a softball game and other prize contests. This is the first out¬ ing of its kind held by the Paramount Pep Club in a number of years. The committee in charge includes Irv¬ ing Singer, chairman, club’s special events; A1 Sicignano, Ray Fisher, J. L. Brown, and Dick Bennett. MGM Sport Short Screened New York — A preview of MGM’s new¬ est Pete Smith Specialty, “Football Thrills Of 1943,” a compilation of the highlights of 13 of last year’s outstanding grid classics, was screened for leading football officials attending the pre-season conference of the Eastern Intercollegiate Football Associa¬ tion last week. Newsreels Televised New York — Motion pictures of the lib¬ eration of Paris were televised from NBC last week. im»\ SCHINE CIRCUIT HOLDS MANAGERS MEETING Gloversville, N. Y. — A meeting of all the Schine Circuit’s home office and field ex¬ ecutives began here yesterday (Sept. 12), to discuss the plans for the New Show Season and also post-war plans. It is to be attended by all zone, district, and group managers, as well as territorial bookers. Those attending include: Lew Hensler, division manager, Lexington, Ky.; Harry Stearn, district manager, Middlesboro, Ky.; Harold Raives, division manager, Cleveland; Harry Long, group manager, Ashland, O.; Robert Anthony, group man¬ ager, Piqua. O.; W. S. Eckard, group man¬ ager, Bucyrus, O.; C. C. Young, zone man¬ ager, Geneva, N. Y.; Gus DePauw, group manager, Newark, N. Y.; Toby Ross, group manager, Corning, N. Y.; G. L. Fowler, group manager, Geneva, N. Y.; Lee Insley, district manager, Salisbury, Md.; Marsh Gollner, city manager, Salisbury, Md.; Reynold Wallach, city manager, Cumber¬ land, Md.; William J. Tubbert, group man¬ ager, Watertown, N. Y.; Jake Weber, group manager, Herkimer, N. Y.; Abe Cohen, group manager, Massena, N. Y.; Lou Hart, group manager, Gloversville; Harold de Graw. group manager, Oneonta, N. Y.; Lou Levitch, group manager; Lockport, N. Y.; F. K. O’Kelly, group man¬ ager, Glens Falls, N. Y.; Harry Unterfort city manager, Syracuse; William Selman, city manager, Rochester, and Joe Schwartzwalder, group manager, Auburn, N. Y. One of the features of the meeting will be a General Electric television demon¬ stration. A banquet will be held for all executives at the Hotel Johnstown. Guest speaker will be Curly Vadeboncoeur, WSYR, Syracuse. After the home office meetings are com¬ pleted, the men will hold regional meet¬ ings with the managers. Comic Strip Plugs Films NEW YORK — Through the cooper¬ ation of Ernest L. Lynn, editor, comic art department, NEA, “Wash Tubbs” last fortnight devoted a two-day se¬ quence to showing that “the latest Hollywood releases” are being shown overseas. Still another NEA strip, “Biff Baker,” has been set by L: nn to carry a similar sequence. Material to Lynn was supplied by the War Activities Committee pub¬ licity department, which previously had arranged an overseas film se¬ quence with Milton Caniff for “Terry and The Pirates.” September 13, 1944 THE EXHIBITOR "ARSENIC” BREAKS BROADWAY RECORD Business Continues At Good Pace New York — Generally good business in the Broadway first-runs last week was re¬ ported by usually reliable sources reach¬ ing The Exhibitor. The Strand broke a house record with the first week of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” while the Astor’s gross was very good for a third week. The break-down was as follows: "DRAGON SEED" (MGM).— Radio City Music Hall, with usual stage show, did $61,000 from Thursday through Sunday, with the week estimated to hit $100,000. This is the last week. "WING AND A PRAYER" (20th Century-Fox)Playing two theatres, the Globe did $14,000 from Wednesday through Sunday, and the Gotham did" $8,900 for the same period. "KISMET" (MGM)— Astor did $40,000 on the third week. "ARSENIC AND OLD LACE" (Warners). Strand, with Charlie Barnet and orchestra on stage, did $34,300 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with the week estimated at $66,000. "THE DOUGHGIRLS" (Warners) — Hollywood did $18,000 from Wednesday through Sunday, with the week estimated at $26,000. "WILSON" (20th Century-Fox) — Roxy, with Waring's Pennsylvanians on stage, did $82,200 from Wednesday through Sunday, with the week esti¬ mated to total $110,000. Eagle-Lion Checks Contracts New York — Eagle-Lion Films, Inc., American distribution organization of J. Arthur Rank, British film magnate, will supervise all distributing contracts made in the United States on their product, it was learned last week, following a meet¬ ing held in the offices of the company’s general counsel, Maurice Leon. Arthur W. Kelly was elected president and. treasurer, U. N. W. Ronalds was desig¬ nated board chairman, and Ralph E. Reynolds, elected secretary. Elected to serve on the board with Ronalds were Kelly, Reynolds, and Captain Harold Auten. Barrington Gain, Rank executive, here from London, attended the meeting. Rank Seeks Permanent Set-Up New York — Dr. Alexander Galperson, J. Arthur Rank’s distributor representative in this country, announced last week that Rank would drop his plans to set up a distribution system in this c ountry to handle the product turned out by his English production companies, provided his recent deal with United Artists would develop into their acting as his permanent distributor in the Western Hemisphere. "Wilson" Script Presented Washington — A leather-bound copy of Lamar Trotti’s script of Darryl F. Zanuck’s Technicolor production, “Wilson,” was pre¬ sented last week by 20th Century-Fox to the National Archivist of the United States Archives as a permanent record. The gift was made by Zanuck on behalf of the com¬ pany. Jack Goldstein Feted New York — Jack Goldstein, who re¬ cently resigned as publicity manager of 20th Century-Fox, left last week for Bev¬ erly Hills, Cal., for a two-week vacation. His office staff surprised him with a farewell buffet luncheon, at which he was presented with a sterling silver lighter.