The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

SPECIAL FEATURES 15 Fireside Fans • HELLO, LOLKS! This is WARREN STOKES speaking to you from Hollywood over the JEP network. Speaking of networks reminds us of the present radio situation and its much discussed relationship to the motion picture industry. It is still a question whether or not the screen is reaping the so-called benefit of rad.o publicity. We are sure of two things, however. Radio is moving into Hollywood and Hollywood is moving into radio! Hollywood’s next move is off the air and into the business of preserving its own personalities or into radio and closing up the theatres. Wise heads of the radio field are grabbing more and more picture personalities every day and these personalities are grabbing the extra coin, building up a following for radio, drawing patrons to the radio studios, to the fireside loud speakers and away from the theatres. Booms and Boomerangs • TWO MILLION DOLLARS went into an advertising campaign to impress the public that "Motion Pictures Are Your Best Entertainment!'' Radio spends no money to contradict that statement but sets out to disprove it with the exploited talent of the motion picture industry, made to order for its medium of entertainment, competing with itself; with the showmen of radio capitalizing on an established commodity, reaping the benefits of its competitors’ advertising, the financial profits from its own advertising to boot and the motion picture industry is getting the boot where it actually hurts. In the beginning, radio was a good publicity medium for the movies. It was next touted as a medium of exchange by the radio moguls, today radio is literally robbing the movies of developed talent, developing little or nothing in return. The boom of radio is a boomerang for the picture business and the exhibitors are getting it right in the neck. The "Sunday Slump” • RADIO MOGULS have continually strengthened their Sunday programs with box office names from the screen. They have weakened the box office receipts accordingly. With the steady flow of established picture talent to the air lanes, week nights at the theatres will soon be on a par with the poor Sundays. It is high time that the motion picture industry faced these facts. I have been told that certain producers share the radio take of certain stars. It is true that some of them must have the sanction of the stud o before accepting radio contracts. But what about the exhibitor? He shares nothing but the loss with no protection on the commodity when it is sold to a competitive enterprise. It is a foregone conclusion that radio will wash up the present crop of screen personalities, as far as box office value is concerned, in half the usual time allotted to their drawing power on the screen, and what then? Will radio repeat with the newer personalities that the motion picture industry might develop and publicize for the future — the future welfare of rad o? There is only one answer. 1 he industry should make an united effort to bar radio appearances by contractural obligations. The "Lambeth Walk” is a minor dance creation compared to 16,000 exhibitors doing “The Sunday Slump.” Voice of Mr. Exhibitor • EXEIIBITOR ORGANIZATIONS, if they will but realize it, have the power to shut off the power of radio by confronting the producers with these facts. The voice of the exhibitor is needed for his own salvation and that of the motion picture industry. Hollywood must see the light or run the risk of seeing a lot of theatres dark. The industry’s greatest problem today is selling seats in the nation’s theatres, not selling hair tonic or soap for its competitors. It is time for a round table conference between exhibitor leaders and the moguls of Hollywood to discuss intelligently the fallacy of building up business for what must now be recognized as the strongest competitor of the motion picture industry. "From Hollywood” • "COMING TO YOU FROM HOLLYWOOD” is now the pet slogan of most radio programs. This ether giant is even commercializing on the word "Hollywood” which owes its magnetism to nothing more than world-wide publicity as a result of movie influence on the public. Let us wake up before it is too late. Let us all realize that radio is conquering Hollywood, that fireside fans contribute nothing at the box office, and that now is the time for every exhibitor to protect his future and the future of the motion p.cture industry through an united front, advising the powers that be, to protect their own interest and the stars of tomorrow through protective contracts. Take out the Santa Claus and put in a clause for work on the screen and through no other medium for the period of said contract. This industry can then truthfully say "MOTION PICTURES ARE YOUR BEST ENTERTAINMENT.” And that brings us to the end of another edition of your Hollywood Newsreel. Tins is WARREN STOKES saying, "So Long, Folks.” ADVANCE SHOTS Brief Glimpses of Features , Shorts to Be Revietved Received too late to be included in this week’s Blue Section were the following features. These advance shots are given for the record pending the publication of the next Blue Section. FISHERMAN’S WHARF (RKO-Radio) (193738) — Bobby Breen, Leo Carrillo, Henry Armetta. 71m. The best of the Bobby Breen series, this has the youngster in a typical story which p.rmits his singing several Italian airs, two popular ditties. FOUR GIRLS IN WHITE (Metro)— Florence Rice, Una Merkel, Ann Rutherford. 70m. A routine hospital melodrama, this offers the nursehunts-rich-doctor-or-patient theme. GUILTY PARENTS (Principal)— Jean Lacy. 34m. A sufficiently inocuous picture, this has potential as a sex show, can be played principally from that angle. It is innocent-girl-gets-intotrouble story. OUTLAW’S PARADISE (Victory )— Tim McCoy, Joan Barclay, Ted Adams. 5 5m. G-Man Tim McCoy brings cattle-rustler Tim McCoy to justice in this yarn that is the McCoy for McCoy fans. PRIDE OF THE NAVY (Republic)— James Dunn, Rochelle Hudson, Gordon Jones. 63m. A good action melodrama, this navy-theme opera blends torpedoes, racing boats with romance. TAILSPIN (20th Century-Fox) — Alice Faye, Constance Bennett, Joan Davis, Charles Farrell. 84m. Here is an exploitable combination of everything for the action addict, filmed against the background of the Cleveland a:r races. YOU CAN’T GET AWAY WITH MURDER (Warners) — Humphrey Bogart, Gale Page, Billv Halop, Henry Travers. 78m. A run-of-the-mill yarn of prison life, thematically after the manner of "Angels with Dirty Faces” (adolation of the criminal), the cast makes the picture somewhat above a routine melodrama. Number 5 of a Series: D. O. ATKINSON Owner of the PHILMONT and MAIN THEATRES in Phillipsburg, N. J. "Received your Finger-Tip file here today and must say it is O. K. "Also wish to state that THE PHILADELPHIA EXHIBITOR is also O. K. It is tops with me and believe it would be to any Exhibitor regardless of territory. "Trusting that you will continue the good work.” Nearly every Exhibitor reads THETXHIBITOR ! AN INVITATION Throughout 1 93 9, expressions of praise, comment, criticism or suggestion from our many Exhibitor Friends will be carried in similar form in every issue. W.e welcome the expression of every reader and will use them in the order in which they are received. January 25, 19)9