The Exhibitor (Nov 1941-May 1942)

EDITORIAL I fl f Reg. U. S. Pat. Office Volume 27, No. 21 April 1, 1942 A Jay Emanuel Publication. Covering the film terri¬ tories in the Metropolitan East. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. New York City office: 1600 Broadway. Representatives in Washington, D. C. ; Albany, Buffalo, Boston, and New Haven. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, business manager; Herbert M. Miller, managing editor. Rates: Each edition, one year, $2; three years, $5. Address all communications to the publishing offices, 1225 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 3n ZJliii 3 Hue SECTION ONE Advance Shots . 8b Arbitration Cases . 8b Editorial Page 3 Hints On Newspaper Advertising 14 In the Spotlight . 4 In the Newsreels . 8a Late News Highlights 7, 8 National Mirror 8a, 9, 10, 12b, 13 National Legion of Decency List 8a National Release Date Guide . Inside Back Cover News of the Territory 5, 6, 15 et seq. The Score Board . 12 Territory Trade Screening Guide 12 SECTION TWO The Check-Up (The Exhibitor Yellow Section) . SS-l-SS-3 Material contained in the Late News Highlights section often represents new developments in stories to be found on other pages of this issue. If the reader will bear this in mind it will avoid possible confusion. This section of THE EXHIBI¬ TOR goes to press last, with latest developments within the industry, where available. Someone Say Slacker ? It was on Feb. 11 that this department wrote; “We think that it would he a good idea for the War Activities Committee to issue regular reports showing how many theatres are actually playing each ( Government ) subject, how many are affiliated houses, how many are independents, and how many are in large and small cities. In that fashion, the exhibition fraternity can get a good idea of just what the situation is. “ The Government shorts are good. Audiences are interested in them., and, aside from the patriotic duty involved, they are ivorthwhile additions to any program. Dating and playing should not be a question of booking convenience alone. “Let’s have the figures on the playing time given. They should be enlightening .” That was about two months ago. Since then much has hap¬ pened. No reports have been issued on the playoffs, but one can determine for himself what may have taken place behind the scenes, both with the War Activities Committee and in Washington. Best proof of this appeared in The Exhibitor last issue in its coverage of the first exhibitor meeting to be held in the country, in New York City, devoted to the subjects and their playoff. In effect, the exhibitors were told that playing Government shorts had gotten past the stage where exhibitors could say whether they chose to run them or not, and was rapidly approaching the point where the Government might step in and tell theatremen just how and when to use them. Furthermore, a series of meetings has been inaugurated throughout the country to bring the message closer to the exhibitors. It comes down to this. Any exhibitor who has not yet signed a pledge to play Government shorts is close to that classification publicized in the last war; slacker. Any exhibitor who signed a pledge and hasn’t played off the subjects as fast as available also belongs in that classification if he fails to meet his obligation to the Government. There is no excuse for lack of co-operation. And LET us remember that during the first World War exhibi¬ tors paid for Government propaganda films such as “America’s Answer,” etc., and the films were used. There are still many houses which have not yet signed up to play the shorts. Some of the “pussyfooting” brethren may be of the opinion that these theatres should not be put under any pres¬ sure to co-operate with their Government. We don’t subscribe to the “pussyfoot” school. We make this prediction : unless every theatre in the country does its bit in this regard, and this is only the beginning, brother, we prophecy that such failure will become a matter for each community to deal with directly — and that is the sort of pressure no theatre in the country can withstand. QUAD