The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

NEWS OF THE TERRITORY 22a 1938 Passes in Review Famed throughout the length and breadth of the country not for their viewing with alarm but for their pointing with pride, not for their addiction to the past and its traditions bui to the present and the future to which they look blissfully, unworried by the admonitions of the school-of -experience advocates, are the 283,000 people associated in the production, distribution, and exhibition branches on an industry which provides the principal amusement of some 8 8,000,000 U. S. -dwellers each week. As the New Year begins, the trade may well look back upon the Old Year and briefly review the comings and goings, the events that have been headline news. No effort has been made in the following paragraphs of presenting a complete chronicle of 193 8 ’s events, but rather to point a few highlights of the 'Washington exchange territory's local scene and some of the major events on the national stage. Accordingly, xve give you: 1938 in review! Time, and Time alone will prove the stability, the significance of these events. JANUARY Theatres of the U. S. lay plans to celebrate the 5 6th birthday of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. As the headaches of New Year’s are assuaged, another comes into view, that in connection with "The Birth of a Baby.” Labor peace is established at the I). C. Poster Exchange. The Capitol’s Loew theatres realign their price scale. J. J. Milstein resigns as Republic’s sales chief. Distribution of "The River” is taken over by Paramount. Thomas P. Drew is named Motiograph’s eastern representative. RKO Radio’s John E. Joseph is named Universal’s publicity-exploitation director, vice P. D. Cochrane. Warners acquire "Muzak,” subsidiary of Wired Radio, Inc. The industry takes an interest in the New York World’s Fair 1939. Following Mae West’s "Garden of Eden” broadcast, the Legion of Decency threatens a crack-down on radio. Loew’s, Inc., absorbs the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corporation. Norman Alley’s "Bombing of the U. S. S. Panay” stirs interest in all newsreels. Distribution companies launch sales drives. Sidney E. Lust’s Marlboro, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, opens. Joseph A. McConville is named Columbia’s general foreign sales manager. James Cagney breaks with Grand National, settles earlier differences with Warners. H. B. ("Tex”) Rickard joins Motiograph. FEBRUARY William F. Crockett is re-elected president of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of Virginia. The March of Time brings out "Inside Nazi Germany,” a box office short-subject smash hit. James R. Grainger is named Republic president. Edward Small joins United Artists’ producer roster. Walt Disney’s "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” sets all sorts of theatre records, including rental charges (50 percent). Vitagraph, Inc., opens its new Washington exchange building. Walkathons irk Eastern Shore exhibitors. Variety Club, Tent No. 19, is formed in Baltimore, with J. Louis Rome as chief barker. Universal’s Charles E. Ford resigns to join Republic. Gradwell L. Sears is named president of Vitagraph, Inc. MARCH Elmore D. Heins wins a labor case in Roanoke, Virginia. Squawks are registered against David Wark Griffith’s "Birth of a Nation” (released first in 1915). Horlacher Delivery Service builds a new Washington terminal. International Projector’s Model E-7 bows. ASCAP reports collecting, in 1937, $1,099,512 from motion picture theatres. Moe J. Siegel is named managing director of Republic Productions. Buffalo’s Nate Sauber replaces Edward Heiber as Universal’s Washington branch manager. An Ohio circuit inches into the West Virginia portion of the local territory. The U. S. Senate argues the Neely bill. John J. O’Connor is named RKO-Radio general manager, vice Nate J. Blumberg. Maurice A. Bergman heads Columbia’s publicity department. RKO-Radio’s Ned E. Depinet is given a testimonial in Dallas, Texas, his home town. Pandro S. Berman is named RKO-Radio production chief. Trailer-Made makes its debut. APRIL Washington’s Artcinema exchange folds. The social club. The Theatricalities, is formed. Sidney J. Gates’ Roxy, Norfolk, Virginia, opens. Sign-letter manufacturers (Wagner, Adler) wrangle about patents. Grand National’s re-oreanization hearings open. Frank H. Durkee, Baltimore, Maryland, is tendered a testimonial dinner. Will Rogers Week is celebrated. The Society of Motion Picture Engineers holds its semi-annual convention in Washington. Malcolm Pictures Corporation is formed. MAY The Schine Circuit, Inc., Gloversville, New York, acquired theatres on th? Eastern Shore. Percy A. Bloch leaves Paramount, with Milton S. Kusell taking over the territories he formerly supervised. Murray Silverstone is named chairman of United Artists’ executive committee. The 193 8 Grand Shorts Awards of the Jay Emanuel Publications are announced. New York’s Allied blasts certain stars as "box office poison.” Concord is attained between the IATSE and exchanges in 3 1 key cities. New color demonstration, Cosmocolor, is shown. Loew’s is held I iable for infringing "Letty Lynton” in Metro’s "Dishonored Lady.” Ha! Roach changes from the Metro to the United Artists lot. 20th Century-Fox’s John D. Clark passes away. JUNE Sidney B. Lust’s Boro, Bethesda, Maryland, opens. Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors meets in Pittsburgh. The Senate passes the Neely Bill, later killed by the House as the measure is pigeon-holed as the session ends. Virginia’s MPTO meets at Virginia Beach. From William E. S. Wilcox, Warners acquire the Seco, underconstruction Silver, Silver Spring, Maryland; from J. William Cleveland, the Takoma, Washington. Gertrude Waters (Mrs. Herbert Lee) Taylor passes away. Herman Wobber is named to succeed the late John D. Clark as 20th Century-Fox’s general manager. Edward J. Peskay resigns as National’s general sales manager. Dr. A. H. Giannini resigns as United Artists’ president. Adler-Wagner dispute becomes a lawsuit. JULY W. Harmon Reed, Alexandria, Virginia, passes away. Producers launch plans for meeting with exhibitors on trade practices. Court approves a production deal between Grand National and Franklyn Warner’s Fine Arts. The IATSE meets in Cleveland. Lynn Farnol becomes United Artists’ advertising, publicity head. Aaron Saperstein passes away. AUGUST Arthur A. DeTitta, Washington supervisor, is named to a Movietonews post in Paris. Virginia censors report receipts of $37,732.75 for 1937. Exhibitors meet with distributors in a prosperity rally in New York, out of which comes the Motion Pictures’ Greatest Year campaign. A deal between Edward A. Alperson and Earle W. Hammons joins Grand National and Education, the latter withdrawing from its earlier distribution agreement with 20 th Century-Fox. Herbert M. Wilcox, one-time Westinghouse executive, passes away. Fortune blames slump in movies’ popularity on "inadequacy of the output.” The U. S. Government files a suit against all major companies. George J. Schaefer is named to head the MPGY campaign. Washington territory s first drive-in theatre opens. Taking televis January 4, 1939