The Exhibitor (Nov 1941-May 1942)

7 OCD Lists Theatre Duties Blackout Regulations Are Issued Washington — Theatre blackout regula¬ tions were issued last fortnight by the OCD. These list 11 direct responsibili¬ ties of owners and managers, outline or¬ ganization and duties of theatre defense groups, and recommend instantaneous arrangements of a system for the protec¬ tion of patrons. Published in booklet form, the regula¬ tions state these direct responsibilities of owners and managers: (1) To provide the mechanical means by which all air raid warnings will be re¬ ceived; (2) To see that said warnings will rapidly be put into complete effect; (3) To prepare an emergency lighting system which will not affect the blackout, but which will provide a necessary minimum of light to prevent confusion among per¬ sonnel and patrons; (4) To prepare signs and directions in the theatre that patrons and personnel can follow to exits and first-aid posts, including blackout-tested illuminated signs and blockout-tested illuminated routes; (5) To eliminate pos¬ sible building hazards; (6) To organize emergency communications, signalling and messenger systems, both within the the¬ atre and to the zone warden; (7) To make safety provisions for furnace boilers, gas tanks, and vital points; (8) To appoint theatre wardens and a theatre defense group from personnel; (9) To organize completely and train the theatre defense group so that it is prepared to cope with any emergency; (10) To provide equip¬ ment for the building and theatre defense group; and (11) To maintain close liaison with the zone warden or the local citi¬ zens’ defense corps. Suggested regulations should be consid¬ ered as additional advice, and not used singularly nor in light of superseding pre¬ vious instructions issued by the OCD. Be¬ cause of the varying size and type of theatres as well as equipment and person¬ nel, specific plans will be left to the management. During actual raids the legulations will urge that the show go on. Philly Bans Extra Hour PHILADELPHIA — Mayor Bernard Samuel announced last week that he could not proclaim an extra hour of daylight saving, because popular sentiment was against the move. The extra hour had been fought by local exhibitors. April 22, 1942 Minnesota Stay Okayed ST. PAUL — Judge Albin S. Pearson last week granted a stay of 60 days to permit filing of an appeal in the Minnesota anti-blocks-of-five case, which he held unconstitutional. Mayer Heads USO Campaign New York — Louis B. Mayer, vice-presi¬ dent in charge of production at Metro, was last week named national vice-chair¬ man of this year’s USO drive to raise $32,000,000 for the entertainment of men in the armed forces. The drive gets under way on May 11, with the bulk of the money expected to be raised between then and July 4. Mayer also has been appointed a mem¬ ber of two important USO committees — the special gifts committee and the cor¬ porations committee; and is also a di¬ rector of the USO-Camp Shows, Inc. New York Theatre Damaged New York — Approximately 600 persons in the Harlem Grand walked calmly from the building shortly after 8 P. M. on April 16 when a fire started in the motion pic¬ ture operating machine booth Harry Rosen, the operator was the only person injured. He was burned about the face and body, and was taken to the Hospital for Joint Diseases. Paul Sherman, manager, sent in the fire alarm while Louis deRosa, assistant man¬ ager, went to the stage to tell the audience there was no danger and that they should leave by the nearest exits. Firemen con¬ fined the blaze to the booth. Local 244 Suit May 6 Newark — Chancery Court hearings for appointment of a receiver for Local 244, operators, was adjourned last week until May 6. The suit which has had several post¬ ponements, has been brought by six mem¬ bers who charge officials of the local with misuse of funds and coercion of the mem¬ bership. Complainants seek removal of officials and accounting of union funds. Hetelson Adds House Philadelphia — Leonard Hetelson an¬ nounced. this week that he had taken over operation of the Roxy, Chester, Pa., and would operate it in conjunction with his local New Colonial, West Philadelphia. THE EXHIBITOR Nation’s Exhibs Begin Bond Sale May 30 Set As Start New York — The nation-wide campaign for the sale of war savings bonds and war savings stamps in 15,000 motion pic¬ ture theatres throughout the country gets under way on May 30, it was announced last week by Joseph Bernhard, chairman of the Theatres Division of the War Activ¬ ities Committee of the Motion Picture In¬ dustry. A great number of theatres are already active in the sale of both stamps and bonds. Many more will join the campaign before May 30, and at the time of the official opening of the campaign nearly every film theatre in the nation will par¬ ticipate. Sponsored by the Theatres Division of the War Activities Committee, the drive for stamps and bonds will reach a poten¬ tial buying audience of 85,000,000 people each week. It is expected that the drive will tap a new reservoir of buyers, and that many persons who have heretofore failed to make their first purchase of stamps and bonds will do so at their local movie theatres. Trailers and other material will be shown on the screen, but there will be no collections or interruptions of any kind inside the theatres. Booths, set up at vantage points in the lobbies of the various theatres, will handle the actual sales. The campaign, it was announced, will be a permanent one, running every day for the duration of the war. China Trailer Ready New York — Theatres throughout the country will show a one and one-half minute trailer on United China Relief, it was announced last week. These will be synchronized with local drives, where pos¬ sible. Lesser On Disney Board New York — It was reported last week that Sol Lesser had been elected to the Walt Disney Productions board of direc¬ tors, after having bought into the com¬ pany. Mrs. Stiefel Passes Philadelphia — Mrs. Anna Stiefel, mother of Sam, Al, and Nate Stiefel, prominent exhibitors, died on April 16. The trade extends its condolences. Two More Sign NEW YORK— The 1TOA of New York, the MPTO of the District of Columbia and the L. C. Griffith Cir¬ cuit of Oklahoma were the latest organizations last week joining the “landslide” for the proposed UMPI sales plan. They bring the list of exhibitor groups having okayed the plan to 19. QUAD,