The Exhibitor (Nov 1943-May 1944)

18 THE EXHIBITOR Bonds (Continued from page 15) Relatives Aid Bond Sales New York — Ned Depinet, chairman, distributors committee bond drive head, issued a bulletin to all exchange area dis¬ tributor chairmen last week on an idea developed by the Detroit, Mich., exchanges and which can be duplicated elsewhere. They arranged that managers’ and sales¬ mens’ wives, sisters, and daughters take turns in conducting sale of bonds from a desk in the lobby of a film center build¬ ing with the bonds purchased through the local theatres which are issuing agents. They exjsect to continue the idea for the duration of the Fourth War Loan. Loew’s Announces Standing Of Theatres New York — Loew’s Theatres last week reported sale of 41,000 “E” bonds through Jan. 23 in local theatres and through Jan. 19 in out-of-town houses. Total maturity value of bonds sold now stands at $3,198,561. Largest number of units sold in ratio to seating capacity were by Loew’s Col¬ umbia, Washington, 100 per cent; Kameo, 63 per cent; American, 56 per cent; and Boro Park, 52 per cent. Greatest number of actual sales were: Boro Park, 1,441 units; Paradise, 1,297, and American, 1,121 units. Bond Previews Hit 1860 New York — Charles P. Skouras, indus¬ try national chairman, announced last week that 1,860 Fourth War Loan pre¬ mieres were set during the first six days of the drive. This compares with 1733 premieres conducted during the whole of the Third War Loan, and additional prem¬ ieres anticipated during the Fourth War Loan will swell the total for the current drive to twice that number. Blumenstock Adds Field Man New York — Mort Blumenstock, in charge of Warner advertising and public¬ ity in the east, last week added Carl Post, formerly engaged in press work in various branches of the amusement world, to the field public relations staff in the Prairie territory. With headquarters in the St. Louis, Mo., exchange. Post will temporarily work with Don Walker, Prairie district representa¬ tive working out of Kansas City, Mo. Exhibitors Are Shouting Their Praises of The Exhibitor Kit To the House¬ tops. It’s Sensational! Chicago Gets Exemption Chicago — Paramoimt’s local exchange has been granted an exemption from the 48-hour work week, it was revealed last week. Other exchanges which have filed exemptions are also expected to be ap¬ proved. Film exchanges in Atlanta, Ga., are seeking exemptions from the 48-hour work week invoked recently. Tax Collections Up WASHINGTON — Government ad¬ mission tax collections in 1943 totaled $163,730,178 as compared to $146,372,271 collected in 1942, the Internal Revenue Bureau revealed last week. December collections for 1943 dropped to a six-month low of $13,048,274, from $16,388,863 in November, and were almost $3,000,000 under the $15,922,909 recorded for December of 1942. The report for New York’s Broad¬ way district showed an increase from $2,204,839 in November to $2,393,044 in December. ALLIED CONFERENCE HELD IN PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia — A meeting of the Allied regional conference was held here last week with the following in attendance: Irving Dollinger, national vice-presi¬ dent, chairman; Jack Greenberg, Ralph Wilkins, Harry H. Lowenstein, Lee Newbui'y, George L. Ickes, Abram F. Myers, Lou Gold, Si Myers, Sidney Samuelson Joseph Conway, E. T. Kelly, and Maxwell Alderman. Discussed were the Allied Caravan and the film situation, among other things. Caravan discussion highlights covered practices and improved communications. A vote of thanks was given to the local Allied unit for its hospitality. Hanover, N. H., House Burns Hanover, N. H. — The Nugget, this col¬ lege town’s only place of amusement, was destroyed by an early morning fire on Jan. 28 with a loss of $75,000. Building was owned by the Dartmouth National Bank, with contents and equipment by the Hanover Improvement society. The loss was said to be covered by insurance. Manager Arthur Barwood and fire de¬ partment officials are at a loss to explain the explosion, which blew off the roof. Only the front and portions of the side walls remain standing. Max Norton, president, improvement society, said that every effort is being made to provide en¬ tertainment in new quarters, possibly one of Dartmouth College’s buildings but feared that new equipment would present a big problem. Para. Partners Meet Dallas, Tex. — Post-war problems and participation in the Fourth War Loan and the March of Dimes were discussed at a meeting of Paramount theatre department executives with theatre partners last fort¬ night. Attending the meeting were R. B. Wilby and H. F. Kincey, Atlanta, Ga.; E. V. Richards, New Orleans, La.; Karl Hoblitzelle and R. J. O’Donnell; Julius Gordon, Beaumont, Tex.; A. H. Blank and Ralph Branton, Des Moines, la.; John Balaban, Chicago; Martin J. Mullin and Sam Pinanski, Boston, and from the home office theatre department, Leonard Goldenson, Leon D. Netter, and Sam Dembow, Jr. SMPE RESETS DATES FOR SPRING SESSION New York — The Society of Motion Pic¬ ture Engineers will hold its 55th semi¬ annual technical conference at the Hotel Pennsylvania on April 17, 18, and 19, in¬ stead of April 25-27, as previously sched¬ uled, it was announced by W. C. Kunzmann, SMPE convention vice-president, last week. Papers already submitted, according to W. H. Offenhauser, chairman, papers com¬ mittee, indicate the conference will cover new war developments in the motion pic¬ ture engineering field. Others who plan to deliver papers were urged by Oflfenhauser to submit them as quickly as pos¬ sible to permit proper programming. The tentative program includes a lunch¬ eon get-together in the roof garden of the hotel on the opening day, and an in¬ formal dinner-dance the following even¬ ing in the Georgian Room. Committee chairmen for the confer¬ ence include: Reception-local arrange¬ ments, D. E. Hyndman, engineering vicepresident; registration-information, Kunzmann; luncheon-dinner dance. Barton Kreuzer; papers committee, Offenhauser, chairman; C. R. Daily, vice-chairman, coast; membership, James Frank, Jr.; hotel-information, Oscar F. Neu, projec¬ tion, H. Heidegger, chairman; ladies’ re¬ ception hostess, Mrs. E. I. Sponable. 20th Century-Fox Host New York — Spyros Skouras, president, and Tom Connors, vice-president in charge of world-wide distribution, 20th Century-Fox, were hosts last week at an informal luncheon at the “21” Club for eastern and out-of-town exhibitors who attended the gala preview of “The Song Of Bernadette” at the Rivoli. Following the luncheon “The Sullivruis” was screened at the home office, where Messrs. Skouras and Connors informally thanked the guests for having made the trip. "Bingo'' Curb Nears Cleveland, O. — Mayor Frank J. Lausche last week indicated his approval of a move to curb the further spread of “Bingo” in the local area by requiring a $100,000 daily bond for places where pots of more than $300 are paid each day. An ordinance is now before City Council which contains provisions to curb and control “Bingo” with the view to pro¬ tecting charitable games against the com¬ mercial variety. If approval is given, “Bingo” operators will have to pay $1,000 a day in bonding fees. Rush Heads RCA Victor Unit New York — W. Arthur Rush has been appointed coast manager of RCA Victor’s artists relations, it was announced last week by J. W. Murray, head of RCA Vic¬ tor record activities. Rush will continue to manage the artists under contract with Art Rush, Inc. His RCA Victor headquar¬ ters will be in the NBC Building in Holly¬ wood. February 2, 1944