The Exhibitor (Nov 1939-May 1940)

I A L EDITOR I II E Vol. 23, No. 3 November 29, 1939 A Jay Emanuel Publication. Covering the film territoriei in the Metropolitan East. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New York City office, 1600 Broadway. West Coast office, 1119 Poinsettia Drive, Hollywood, California. Representatives in Washington, D. C.; Albany, Buffalo, Boston, New Haven. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, business manager; Herbert M. Miller, managing editor. Subscription rates: $2 for one year; $5 for three years. Address all communications to 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Just In Passing THE ANNUAL BOW TO WESTERNS Elsewhere in this issue will be noted more on our annual bow to westerns. Therein should be found material interesting to the whole industry. No better indication of what westerns mean at the box-office may be seen than in the announcement that 20th CenturyFox is to produce a cavalcade of westerns while Paramount is also toying with the idea of making a gigantic open air epic. The No. 1 man in the western field is, of course, Gene Autry. Thanks to high standards of production and an amazing outburst of recognition by national, fan and trade magazines, Autry is the outstanding figure in the field, corresponding to the place held by Tom Mix in the silent days. As far as we are concerned, we continued our 100 percent coverage of all westerns made. Every one produced by majors and independents was reviewed, an achievement which no other trade paper equalled. Much has been said elsewhere of what the western means to the small town, where sophistication is an intruder, but during the past year it became apparent to a lot of theatres in the larger cities that their patrons could stand for a little open-spacing as a change from a steady diet. As a result, the western made headway in these situations in its attempt to take itself out of the Saturday matinee and night sphere. Too much credit cannot be given the western producers, the men whose confidence in their product not only rode out those first sound days when ‘the death knell of the western was sounded.’ but who have spent good money for writers, photographers, technicians and better names to help lift the westerns into a higher bracket. NOW WE ARE TWENTY-ONE Now we are twentv-one — we've come of aee — and it is with this realization we give the annual accounting of our stewardship. The principal accomplishment of 1939 was the New England undertaking, bringing to the film men of that area a tradepaper operated on the same fundamental lines as those three preceding it. We think we have been successful. The subscription records would be enough to prove it, but we are far more enthused over the personal letters received from many industryites of that area. It is not difficult to start a tradepaper, but it is a task to accomplish, in less than a year, a job which has taken others decades. If a boast is in order, we now do so. Editorially, The Exhibitor adhered to the same principles of its 21 years of operation, seeking the problem and throwing the spotlight of publicity on it. A constructive, hardworking tradepaper cannot solve the headaches of our business, but it can bring them to the fore and let the recognized bodies take up the fight. Mechanically, the scheme of things found us once again pioneering Excellence in printing was continued and modern methods brought in line to give the best possible service. The layout saw new ideas, revamping, new type, and other details which might seem minor but which only proved once again that a successful tradepaper must keep pace with progress. Exhibitors endorse it for good reason. Particularly are we proud of the monthly Better Management department with lithograph pictorial insert. First in the field to use the process, the section’s success was the signal for others to follow. We might give you a hint of things to come, as well, but the equipment editor asked us not to divulge other, newer ideas for 1940. Services were enhanced; new ones added. “The Tip-Off,” which tells what the pictures are doing not in terms of estimated figures but in your own language, was perhaps the most successful. Exhibitors, we knew, would welcome it, but we were most surprised to find that the distributors, themselves, attest to its value. Another important development was the inauguaration of “Hints in Newspaper Advertising,” full page ad layouts on pictures, as used in leading cities of the country. Already the idea is being copied. And the unsolicited contributions from ad men means that they, too, know the department’s value. The Servisection was brought up to date, made more pertinent. The Shorts and Feature Check-Up is even more useful; the various indices are even more complete, and every service has been brought up to date. We put the changes into effect, but the ideas, in a major sense, came from the exhibitors. Where it is mechanically possible, the exhibitor is always right. The local coverage, unchallenged and unrivalled, continued with the backing of a host of capable correspondents; the photographic pages, week in and week out, pictured activities, local and national, within the business. And so, briefly, this is an account of our stewardship. For 1940, we can only repeat what we have said before: “We believe that a tradepaper should be run on the same principles as the industry, itself— confidence, fair dealing, sincerity and a common understanding. All this we have made a part of our foundation. We are proud of our publi-, cations. “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 co-operation. In return, we pledge ourselves to the highest principles of trade journalism. QUAD.