The Exhibitor (Nov 1938-May 1939)

16 JEFF HOFHEIMER Owner of 3 theatres in Virginia and North Carolina. "I find THE NEW EXHIBITOR very interesting and quite useful. I think you have made a definite step forward in changing your publication to a weekly.” Nearly every Exhibitor rea ds THE EXHIBITOR! AN INVITATION Throughout 193 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. e HELLO, FOLKS! This is WARREN STOKES speaking to you from Hollywood over the JEP network. With the racing season drawing to a close, most of the movie moguls are passing up the long shots and moving in for a close-up of industry problems which, after many negligent years, are attracting Hollywood’s attention. The movie village is beginning to realize that the exhibitor is really a most important individual and that closer cooperation with his merchandising problems is conducive to better box office results. The Radio Situation • THE RADIO SITUATION, long a point of discussion as to its help or detriment to the picture industry, is now the main focal point of the movie makers. Many have followed the lead of DARRYL ZANUCK in pulling their top names off the air lanes to conserve their popularity at the box office and there is every indication that the ether-picture feud is under way. We can anticipate an influx of radio chatterers bent upon critical opinion of celluloid product, and a low rating of the majority of celluloid entertainment, to hold the fireside listeners away from the theatres and retain the popularity of radio which, up to now, the screen personalities have contributed in a large measure. If the producers will deliver good celluloid entertainment, however, there is little to worry about from this competitive source as word of mouth comment by the movie fans still outweighs any critical opinion from any source. The Commentators’ Vieiv e RADIO COMMENTATORS have already started the ball rolling by trying to point out that radio has contributed to the success of cinema entertainment rather than commercialize on the established personalities of the cinema world. Yours truly was mentioned by one radio chatterer as a medium by which the motion picture industry had benefited over the ether waves. We cannot deny this statement. After all, our interest is the interest of the motion picture industry. What Stokes Does • OUR RADIO CHORE consisted of Hollywood news, comment on current attractions, production activities and interviews with outstanding personalities, more than 5 00. These personalities were brought to the microphone from a viewpoint of human interest. Never were they called upon to display acting ability, which we took good care to preserve for the screen and its paying patrons. The commentator in question laid much emphasis in his belief that radio had developed a great number of personalities for the screen and pointed out that the ether giant was really a friend of the motion picture industry, a cooperative force rather than a competitive one. Fortunately, Hollywood has awakened to the truth and the necessity of preserving its own talent for its own medium of entertainment. Personally, after an exhaustive survey, we can only find DON AMECHE, EDGAR BERGEN and CHARLIE McCARTHY coming directly from radio to the screen; and Bergen with McCarthy originally came from vaudeville. Hollywood is now apparently on the right track. By leaving radio to develop its own talent, Hollywood, in SPECIAL FEATURES stead of contributing to the success of a strong competitor, is contributing to its own future, a future too long neglected in the mad rush for cheap publicity which proved to be a boomerang. • EXHIBITOR RECOGNITION in the film capital should not be overlooked by the exhibitors in the field. Hollywood has paved the way for these showmen to voice their opinions regard the necessary steps to insure the future welfare of this industry. The voice of the exhibitor should no longer be stifled. Exhibitor organizations should take immediate steps to voice the collective opinions of members and forward those suggestions to the movie moguls. Hollywood has given you the lead, it is up to you to follow through. Introducing Ellen Dreiv • ELLEN DREW, a new name on the Hollywood horizon, is a personality to remember in your future billing. Hailed as another Cinema Cinderella, she has clicked in celluloid with every promise of future stardom. In reality, she was not an overnight discovery, as the press agents would have you believe. True, she came from behind a candy counter, but her preparation consisted of six months in Paramount’s dramatic department, about two years experience doing dress extra and bit parts until the director Wesley Ruggles discovered her, giving her her first featured role with Bing Crosby and Fred MacMurray in "Sing You Sinners.” This won her an important role opposite Ronald Colman in "If I Were King.” She has just completed a romantic role in the new George Raft picture "The Lady’s From Kentucky” and is now before the cameras in "The Gracie Allen Murder Case.” Ellen Drew is entitled to this close-up in our Hollywood Newsreel because of the histrionic ability she has already displayed and because of her potential box office value as a star of tomorrow. She is definitely going places. And that brings us to the end of another edition of your Hollywood Newsreel. This is WARREN STOKES saying, "So Long, Folks.” March /5, 19)9