The Exhibitor (Nov 1941-May 1942)

5 Crosstown D. A. Doran, Columbia story editor, ar¬ rived last week on his annual visit to round out the new season’s program. He will be in town for a couple of weeks. Mrs. Lucy Harde, wife of Harry Harde, Universal Newsreel staff cameraman, died last week. Screen Office and Professional Em¬ ployees Guild, Local 109, UOPWA, CIO announced last week that as a result of the growth in its membership it has moved to new and larger quarters at 1560 Broadway. Howard Dietz, Metro executive in charge of promotion, is on the coast. . . . Harry Rathner went on tour last week in con¬ nection with “Our Russian Front.” The Trans-Lux, Broadway and 49th Street, which heretofore has operated under a policy of programs of one hour of newsreels and short subjects, is now running programs of one hour and 30 minutes of news and shorts. The pro¬ grams, which will stress more comedy, will be changed on Tuesdays and Fridays. Fred Mindlin, publicity director, Squire, recently indulged in the type of kidding advance campaign for “Murder In the Red Barn,” that can hardly be used on the regular run of mill product. Titled “Squire Theatre Quiz,” Mindlin asked prospec¬ tive patrons the following questions and supplied his own answers, thus: What book had the largest circulation in 1939? NOT “Murder In the Red Barn”; What picture contributed two song hits in 1938? NOT “Murder In the Red Barn”; What picture won the Academy Award in 1940? NOT “Murder In the Red Barn”; What picture grossed more than $4,000,000? NOT “Mur¬ der In the Red Barn”; What picture cost $2,000,000 to make and took one year to film? NOT “Murder In the Red Barn”; What picture opens here on Friday, April ? You guessed it — “Murder In the Red Barn.” Visitors from the coast included David O. Selznick. . . . S. Barret McCormick, RKO ad chief, also came in from studio conferences. . . . James R. Grainger, Republic head, completed his country tour, and arrived last week. Herman Arsham, Metro contract de¬ partment, joined the Army. . . . Ted O’Hara, Columbia story department, is in the service. ( Continued on page 6) April 22, 1942 TERRITORIAL Shore Spots Want Hour TRENTON, N. J. — The Legislature was last fortnight considering the re¬ quest of seashore municipalities that another hour of daylight saving be added to current war time. Although non-shore operators are generally opposed to the extra hour, because of the dimouts, etc., the state’s thcatremen in the beach areas feel it would he an asset. Jersey Allied Setting Plans New York — Plans were going forward this week for Allied of New Jersey’s 23rd annual convention and round table confer¬ ence of exhibitors in war time to be held on June 3, 4, and 5 at Atlantic City. E. Thornton Kelly, convention manager, is making gala plans for the affair. There will be a convention journal as well as various equipment exhibits. Another feature will be a testimonial banquet to Colonel H. A. Cole, Allied leader, with M. A. Rosenberg, Allied na¬ tional president, as toastmaster. Grassgreen Fete April 27 Albany — Plans are going forward this week for the testimonial dinner to be tendered Moe Grassgreen. 20th CenturyFox branch manager, at Dinty’s Terrace Garden on April 27. Grassgreen this year celebrates 25 years in the business, all with the same company. Chairman of the affair is Neil Hellman, with Charles A. Smakwitz the treas¬ urer. Local industryites are combining with the Variety Club in the event. NSS Folk to Frolic New York — Newly organized employees’ club of National Screen Service will hold a dance on April 24 at the Florentine Room of the Park Central, it was announced last week. Dedicated to employees who are in the armed forces, a portion of the proceeds will go toward the purchase of gifts for them. A. G. Stefanic is president, Mae Ziffer, vice-president; Harry Pritz, treas¬ urer; and Sylvia Cohen, secretary. Jersey Asks DST Unity Trenton, N. J. — The New Jersey Senate last week passed a concurrent resolution offered by Senator Frank Farley, Atlantic City, and Senator Haydon Proctor, Asbury Park, empowering the governor of New Jersey to negotiate with the governors of Pennsylvania and New York concerning the adoption of daylight saving time in the three states. Jersey Allied Sets Meet New York — The next meeting of Allied of New Jersey will be held in Passaic, N. J., on April 30, it was announced last week. THE EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS UJA Campaign Underway in N. Y. Industry Co-operates To Limit New York — The motion picture indus¬ try s end of the 1942 United Jewish Appeal campaign got under way last week at a luncheon meeting in the Hotel Astor of the drive’s amusement division, of which David Bernstein, Major Albert Warner, and Barney Balaban are the co-chairmen, the first-named presiding at the session. Nathan Straus, guest speaker, pointed out that this year’s campaign is no longer a work of mercy alone, but is a fight for the right of the Jewish people to live on so that they, too, may share in the re¬ building of a world “that will eventually be torn from the bloody grip of the aggressor nations.” It was agreed at the meeting that a luncheon will formally launch the amuse¬ ment industry’s drive on May 12 at the Astor with Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, one of the campaign’s national chairmen, as guest speaker. Herman Robbins, president, National Screen Service, is chairman of the sched¬ uled luncheon’s committee, and Harry Brandt is co-chairman. Among those present at last week’s meet¬ ing were; Sigmund Romberg, Leon Gold¬ berg, Harold Damson, Arthur Mayer, Max B. Blackman, Leonard Goldenson, Louis Nizer, Toby Gruen, Hyman Rachmil, A. Schneider, Sam Schneider, Louis Phillips, Irving H. Greenfield, Leopold Friedman, Emanuel Frisch, Sam Rinzler, Leo Brecher, Max A. Cohen, Sam Machnovitch, Edward N. Rugoff, Budd Rogers, Harry A. Nadel, Nat Lefkowitz. Samuel Cohen, Mal¬ colm Kingsberg, Adolph Schimmel, Nate Spingold, Stanley Adams, and others. Joe Hartman Feted Syracuse — Joe Hartman, salesman for United Artists, was given a farewell din¬ ner at the Hotel Syracuse last fortnight before his departure for St. Louis. Syd Lehman, Buffalo branch manager, United Artists, acted as toastmaster. About 35 local theatre owners, managers, and salesmen presented Hartman with a life¬ time pen and pencil set together with a signed scroll. Among out of town guests were Buffalo branch managers Syd Samson, 20th Cen¬ tury-Fox; Ken Robinson, Paramount, and Elmer Lux, RKO. Committee for the affair were Sidney Grossman, George Smith, and Jack Karp. UMPI Men Set New York — The following were last fort¬ night announced as having been elected chairmen of their respective tax commit¬ tees of the UMPI: New York (central) — H. L. Ripps, Metro, Albany; New York (western) R. W. Maw, Metro, Buffalo. Si Myers was added as a member of the New Jersey state committee. He operates the Garden, Trenton. nys.