The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

14 HOLLYWOOD NEWSREEL He Mourns a Bit for the Real Old Timers • HELLO, FOLKS! This is WARREN STOKES speaking to you from Hollywood over the JEP network. Out here in movieland everyone is singing "Thanks for the Memory,” but over at Paramount, where they made the picture of the same title, some of the memories are not so good. On stage eight a woman stands behind a counter for a scene in the GLADYS SWARTHOUT picture "Ambush.” A man enters, questions her briefly, walks out. A visiting fireman whispers to a mailroom boy, assigned to guide him around the lot: "Who are those people?” "Search me,” says the boy. "Just bit players, I guess.” Maybe he’s too young to remember. Both the bit players are former stars. The woman is POLLY MORAN, the man ANTONIO MORENO. Such is fleeting fame in Hollywood. • "SNOW WHITE ON A HORSE” will soon be riding your way, and that means you 11 have some additional exploitation ideas for the new BOB BAKER western, "Honor of the West.” Your patrons should be interested in knowing that the leading lady in this horse opera is none other than MARJORIE BELL, the young lady who posed as WALT DISNEY'S life model for the thousands of original cartoon sketches. This is just an advance tip on an interesting personality with established (drawing) power that you might use to draw some more customers. • "ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES” garnered plenty of attention from the local critics following its local preview. A lot of the wise boys wrangled about possible objections to the dramatic climax wherein JAMES CAGNEY turned yellow to spike the hero worship of the "Dead End” kids in the picture. Critics contended Cagney was still a glorified gangster in the eyes of the audience and questioned public reaction. In reality, Warner Brothers presented a climax which allowed the patrons to draw their own conclusions. Here is a real showmanship ingredient— creating word-of-mouth comment for a box-office build-up. Box-office results are proving this point. Unfortunately, a two-way finish of this calibre is all too rare in the movieland output. Results in this case, however, should bring forth a better understanding of audience psychology and happier endings for the exhibitors. • "ELIZABETH THE QUEEN,” Theatre Guild play which starred LYNN FONTANNE and ALFRED LUNT, will become a screen play as a result of its purchase by HAL WALLIS, assosociate executive in charge of production at Warners, during his recent story search in New York. BETTE DAVIS will portray the Virgin Queen, and ERROL FLYNN will be seen as her gallant Essex. Under this same company’s banner, MAXIE ROSENBLOOM and CHARLIE FOY will be two of MARIE WILSON’S comedy leading men in "Sweepstakes Winner,” a picture which marks this comedienne’s first solo starring role. • JAMES GORDON BENNETT, fiery, dynamic editor of the old New York Herald, whose battles for scoops made journalistic history, will become a dominant character in the 20th Cen tury-Fox epic, "Stanley and Livingstone.” It was Bennett who sent HENRY M. STANLEY, his ace reporter, into Africa to hunt for lost explorer, DAVID LIVINGSTONE. SPENCER TRACY will play Stanley. Tests are still being made for the role of Bennett. • WENDY BARRIE, currently playing the lead opposite VICTOR McLAGLEN and CHESTER MORRIS in “Pacific Liner,” has signed a contract to make three pictures for RKO-Radio within the coming year. Her first appearance under the new contract will be opposite GEORGE SANDERS in "The Saint Strikes Twice.” Sanders, who has been playing leads in England, has been signed to play the title role in "The Saint” series. • HITTING THE MOVIE TRAIL at Chatsworth, 120 miles away from Hollywood, we witnessed five thrilling horse-falls directed by JOHN FORD for WALTER WANGER’S "Stagecoach.” These scenes are real thrillers for your patrons, made by YAKIMA CANUTT, JOHN MORE and JOHN ECKHARDT, three of filmland’s most daring stunt riders. Incidentally, scenes were supervised by DR. M. E. WILSON, of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The animals escaped injury, but Canutt and Moore both received body lacerations and facial scratches. More than 200 actors and a technical crew of 80 recorded these "Stagecoach” scenes. • "THE DUKE OF WEST POINT,” produced by EDWARD SMALL for United Artists release, has become one of the most technically inspected pictures in Hollywood. Since completion of shooting, Small has had the picture run on numerous occasions for high officers of the United States army and for former West Point cadets, in an endeavor to make it perfect from the technical viewpoint. That ought to leave the Hollywood critics more time to view the offering from a standpoint of entertainment. • PETE SMITH had an orange grove transplanted from San Fernando Valley for his new Metro short, "Weather Wizards.” A trucking crew devoted four days to transplanting 64 fullgrown trees to the studio. Smith’s film reveals the methods of the U. S. Weather Bureau in its crop-saving activities. Pete reveals, with h is sly humor, that even with an entire orange grove you don’t have to be any wizard to produce a lemon. And that squeezes in another edition of your Hollywood Newsreel in time for the new weekly deadline — we hope. This is WARREN STOKES saying, "So long, folks!” ( Selling Features: continued from page 13) "Dracula-Frankenstein” Malone, New York Frank Meehan, manager Schine’s Malone, put over an inexpensive stunt for the now widely current "Dracula-Frankenstein” tieup by having two ushers down stairs dressed as Frankenstein and Dracula, copy on one reading "I am Frankenstein, see me at this theatre next Thursday and Friday.” The other had a sign reading: "I am Dracula, etc.” These boys also were used for a street ballyhoo when not working on floor. The doorman was dressed as an interne with copy reading, "I am the doctor. If you faint during the show of Frankenstein and Dracula, I will take care of you.” For additional ballyhoo there was sides, a sound truck following with announcean ambulance with appropriate copy on both ments being made toured the streets of Malone and surrounding towns. As the ambulance reached the main sections of the towns, Frankenstein and Dracula emerged from the ambulance, hand cuffed to an interne. "The Sisters” Batavia, New York Ralph Booth, Family, Batavia, believing that the picture wouldn’t go in his town as a love drama on Sunday, constructed a special ad to fit the situation, using a romance mat which let out the costume angle, action scene mats with "see” copy on the San Francisco earthquake, brawls in Barbary Coast, topped by copy "The changing West — from pioneers to playboys — from undying love to easy divorce — from the homespun life to the hot spots of Frisco — the big romantic thrill drama of the year.” "Brother Rat” Hornell, New York A1 Newhall, Majestic, Hornell, used several old, but effective, stunts on "Brother Rat.” He announced at bowling alleys that five sets of passes to see "Brother Rat” would be given high rollers. He used a small truck, decorated with military flags, banners, with sound amplifier playing (martial) music, filled with several young good-looking girls, driven throughout county, around to nearby university. Boys carried special sign with playdate, theatre at high school football games, college games week advance. Displays consisting of stills, art were placed in high school lobbies, assembly hall at Alfred University, as well as leading hotels, local libraries. Manager Newhall made special announcement at high school assembly that he had booked a special attraction, also that, if school won their most rival football game, the players would be invited to be guests of management. He took ads in college papers surrounding town. "Garden of the Moon” Syracuse, New York Manager Harold Raives, RKO-Schine-Eckel, tied up with local five and ten which printed 1 5,000 "Lucky Donut” heralds, the theatre distributing house to house. Each box of doughnuts sold for two weeks in advance carried a sticker with theatre name, attraction, play date. Half sheet cards, stills were placed over the doughnut counter. Hosiery distributors paid for 17-inch ad in the Syracuse Herald showing cut of Margaret Lindsay, theatre credit. A local furnishing store devoted a large part of their radio program week of showing to John Payne using the "new personality” angle. "Angels With Dirty Faces” York, Pennsylvania Jules Reisman, manager, Capitol, put on an extensive campaign to plug "Angels With Dirty Faces,” featuring a special prevue with a select list of patrons. Reisman made personal talks on the picture before the boys departments of the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, approached the Boy Scout officials on the picture. Daily plugs were given through the medium of "The Man in the Streets” broadcast over the local radio station with the announcer asking people on the street. Six 24-sheets were placed at vantage points in and about the city and a special sports tie-up was arranged on the basketball angle with the winning team in the Y. M. C. A. league invited to see the picture. (Selling Shorts: continued from page 13) "The Declaration of Independence” Syracuse, New York Manager Buddy Freeman, RKO-Schine-Paramount, through school superintendent Alverson, arranged to have announcements made in all classes giving theatre, play date of "The Declaration of Independence.” A list of all members of the Daughters of the American Revolution was obtained from corresponding secretary, with each member possible called on phone, notified of the playing of the short. The leader, Onondaga Bov Scouts Council, arranged for announcements at all scout meetings. An announcement was given on the Juvenile Newspaper of the Air, radio program. All veteran organizations were notified of the engagement. Not ember 30, 1918 ON YOUR DESK EVERY WEDNESDAY