The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

T H E NATIONAL Trade-mark Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Vol. 17, No. 1 Nov. 15, 1938 EDITOR A Milestone Is Passed November 1 5, 1938. Mr. Motion Picture Industry, Everywhere, U. S. A. Dear Sirs: Yes, it’s true. We’re 20 years old today. It’s anniversary time; a celebration is in order. It doesn’t seem like 20 years ago that "Vine Street,” the daddy of The Philadelphia Exhibitor, the first of the Jay Emanuel Publications, was founded to become the parent of The National Exhibitor (nee Film News), 1923, and The New York State Exhibitor, 1928. Frankly, we do feel a bit older — and we can’t hide the fact that we have put on a lot of weight, dressed a bit better, made thousands of friends of which we are mighty proud, and gained a lot of respect since the time when the first four-page edition rolled off the presses in Philadelphia. Celebrate? We certainly are — and we think we’re celebrating the right way. The obvious thing to do would be to go to all our friends and everyone with whom we do business and say: "Joe, we’ve been in business for 20 years — help us to make a nice fat ad book of it. It’s being done — so why shouldn’t we?” Perhaps that was too obvious and common a method, for, after all, when you earn a friendship you want to keep it, not impose on it. So we decided on the sincere method, the better method. We reasoned it this way: this is our celebration, but yours, too. Let us show how much we appreciate it. WE’RE TAKING THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP IN OUR HISTORY—WE’RE GOING WEEKLY. THERE WILL BE A WEEKLY ISSUE OF EACH PUBLICATION BEGINNING WITH THIS ONE. FOR 20 YEARS WE HAVE BEEN PUBLISHING SEMI-MONTHLY. NOW WE’RE MAKING THE CHANGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE ASKED FOR IT, AND, FRANKLY, THIS ELIMINATES THE ONLY COM PLAINT WE’VE HAD TO CONTEND WITFI. Naturally, we’re continuing all our services, all our star attractions. You told us years ago you thought there was a place in the industry for a constructive, modern service paper. This is our answer. True, this issue isn’t so fat as it might have been if we handled things the obvious way. But we believe you’ll really save this copy, treasuring it as a sincere method of thanks from us to you. Yes, 20 years is a long time — we’ve both come a long way. We’ve grown up with an industry that is great. / We believe that a trade paper should be run on the same principles as the industry itself — confidence, fair dealing, sincerity, a common understanding. All this we have made a part of our foundation. We’re proud of our publications. Actually, this is your tradepaper. It belongs to you. Everything within it has been evolved from your suggestions. Just as the public directs the course of our great industry so you direct our course. Others have copied; we always tried to lead the way. And we ask your continued cooperation. In return we pledge ourselves to the highest principles of trade journalism. We’re 20 years old. You have helped us grow. We are deeply grateful. Paramount Proves Its Case Paramount sales chief Neil Agnew is authority for the statement that the average playing time of the last 20 A Jay Emanuel Publication. Circulating in Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, Virginia, Eastern West Virginia. Covering the film territory served out of Washington, D. C. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 219 North Broad Street, Philadelphia. Branches at Washington, D. C.; 1600 Broadway, New York City. West Coast Office: 1119 Poinsettia Drive, Hollywood, California. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, advertising manager; Herbert M. Miller, managing editor. Subscription rates: $2 for one year; $5 for three years. Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Publisher also of The Philadelphia Exhibitor and The New York State Exhibitor. Address all communications to the Philadelphia office. I A L releases of his company has been 66 minutes, and that in only two cases have there been pictures running under 60 minutes. Furthermore, it is indicated that the studio tries to keep the lesser pictures between 60 and 70 minutes. This is for the record and should, so far as Paramount is concerned, answer those (including this department) who have been protesting against the short features. We haven’t changed our minds. We think that the short-running-timefeature is a definite problem. Paramount has filed its answer, but some of the other companies have yet to be heard from. A Declaration on "Declaration” The reviewing staff of this publication has already paid its respects to Vitaphone’s "The Declaration of Independence.” Truly, here is an excellent short subject, deserving of the highest attention from trade and public. But a review of a subject of that type can well be supplemented by further editorial comment. We believe every theatre in the country should play this short, regardless of run. We believe that this endorsement of Harry M. Warner’s plea for Americanism is a "must” with all theatres. The short itself is to be commended; but, coming at the present time, it is not only instructive, entertaining, but a sermon on Americanism that will prove immensely valuable to every theatre owner who plays it and every person who sees it. Don’t let this opportunity pass to do vour bit towards Americanism. "The Declaration of Independence” belongs on the screen of every theatre in the country — it should be seen by every moviegoer in the country. For Jimmy Grainger Republic is holding its James R. Grainger Sales Drive. This one is for Jimmy, boys. Need more be said?