Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1950)

Short Subjects By BARN DARAMOUNT'S A. W. Schwalberg has *■ instituted a "bi-zonal" distribution plan for the company's reissues that may serve as a basis for tackling the print shortage problem for all features. The idea is to obtain maximum concentration of prints in a specified area for a release period, then switch to another territory, etc. Under Schwalberg's plan, the zoning is done in the most fundamental manner, i.e., an East zone and a West zone. Two separate release dates are assigned to each re-issue and the full national complement of prints is concentrated in the zone during the release period. The East zone includes the Eastern and Southern Divisions under Hugh Owen and the Mid-eastern division under H. H. Goldstein. The West zone has J. J. Donohue's Central division, M. R. Clark's South Central division and George A. Smith's Western division. Initial rereleases will have "Beau Geste" and "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" opening in the East zone in March, in the West zone in June. The latter will have "Wake Island" and "So Proudly We Hail" in March, while the East begins its playoff on these in June. A LTHOUGH Francis, Universale brightest new star, and principal performer in the company's current laugh film of a talking mule, is only a half-breed, so to speak, he was dubbed unofficial mascot of the Democratic National Committee and was one of the honored guests at the $100a-plate Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner of the Democratic Party in Washington recently. One fervent party member was heard to whisper rather apprehensively that he hoped there was nothing significant insofar as the next election is concerned in the fact that Francis has a congenital deficiency. A mule, offspring of a donkey and a horse, you see, cannot reproduce itself. OfYTH-FOX has hired a psychologist to ^ help sell "Three Came Home." The strong family-bond angle that characterizes the film's theme prompted the company to engage the services of Dr. Peter Bios, prominent child psychologist and domestic guidance counselor, to present ideas for a specialized ad campaign aimed at family groups and organizations. This is in line with the company's announced policy of increased penetration into specific groups of movie-goers. A selected group of publications, such as Parents Magazine, Family Circle, Christian Science Monitor, General Federation of Club Woman and several others with a cumulative circulation of 30,000,000 will carry the ads. Under the guidance of Dr. Bios, the ad has been designed to carry a direct, honest approach to the story, both in layout and in copy, which is headed "You Are the Real Heroine of This True Story . . ." Thus we have another example of the kind of constructive showmanship and promotion by Fox ad-publicity v.p. Charles Einfeld and his staff which has made the company the leader in industry showmanship efforts. * * "T HAVE never seen anywhere any better maintained theatres than in England." These were the words of C. J. Latta, former Warner Albany branch manager who left to become managing director of the 400-theatre Associated British Pictures Corp. circuit in England, as he returned from London. The British exhibitor faces FEBRUARY 2 7 . 1 9 5 0 20TH'S EINFELD For the Angles, A Psychologist the same problems as the American theatreman, according to Latta, and the promotional and programming activities of the British theatre managements "compares most favorably with what is done in the U. S." His own ABPC circuit of more than 400 houses has a special organization which concentrates on kiddie club matinees and has built up a "tremendous new audience" with these presentations. Although he did not vouchsafe any opinion on how it would go in this country, Latta pointed out that he found "particularly effective" the English system of charging different ticket prices for the various sections of the theatre to provide a "ticket for every pocket book." CAMUEL GOLDWYN, who is not particularly adept at making friends of ex hibitors, nevertheless has made enough "superior" pictures portraying the "American Way of Life" to warrant a special citation from Parents Magazine, the first of its kind. The widely-read publication, presented Goldwyn with a special recognition plaque "in appreciation of his years of devotion to superior film making, especially for his care in depicting the American scene with honest sentiment and for his clear understanding and portrayal of the American Way of Life." Heretofore, the family magazine's awards have always been for specific films. The Goldwyn presentation covered the entire field of picture-making. 'THE 1950 American Red Cross fund appeal wiil once more receive the cooperation of the motion picture industry. Although Washington headquarters of the Red Cross announced that there would be no collections in the nation's movie houses, some 17,000 theatres will show a twominute trailer tacked on to each of the newsreels featuring Bing Crosby. The popular Bing will make the appeal with words and music, the latter a rendition of Irving Berlin's Red Cross tune, "Angels of Mercy" which will receive the inimitable Crosby treatment. Theatremen who have previewed the trailer were impressed by its effective combination of entertainment and a mercy message. Look for it in Paramount News No. 54; Movietone News No. 17; Warner Pathe News No. 56; MGM's News of the Day No. 251; U-I Newsreel No. 329 and All-American News. QTEVE BROIDY has announced what is reportedly the first post-war deal for the distribution of American films in Japan. The Monogram-Allied Artists president revealed that the Japanese government has granted the required import permit for the exhibition of the company's product in the territories of Honshu and Kyushu. The pact, schedu'eJ for five years, is due to become effective as soon as approved by SOAP (Supreme Commander A lied Powers) and will involve Sliochiku Film Enterprises, Ltd., a California firm, as physical distributor in Japan. Shochiku controls some 1300 Nipponese theatres, as well as being the country's biggest producer and distributor, thus assuring a widespread play in Nippon of Monogram-AA Aims. TTHILADELPHIA's Bill Goldman, inde^ pendent theatreman whose successful battle against the Warner first-run monopoly in that town has made industry history, is the subject of an article in the I larch issue of Holiday Magazine. The fighting chain operator minces no words in the article. He places the blame tor the much-discussed "trouble with movies" on "the big boys out on the coast (who) force turkeys down the throat of tne smaller independent exhibitor because he has to take them if he wants to get the good ones which he has to have to keep alive." Goldman visualizes a flow of better pictures with the end of the film monopoly and advises exhibitors to concentrate on selling his screen product, not popcorn. Explaining his refusal to handle popcorn in his theatres, Goldman says, "I'm an exhibitor, not a popcorn salesman. If you have a first-run house and have to put popcorn in it, I think you're in the wrong business." OF MEN AND THINGS: Former Metro exploitation director Billy Ferguson has launched Hollywood Enterprises, Inc.. specializing in merchandising of commercial royalty tieups . . . Al Schwalberg has moved up a series of field men following Mike Simon's appointment as Paramount Detroit branch manager, succeeding the resigned Ed Stuckey. Filling Simon's post as Buffalo branch manager is Edward G. Fitzgerald, formerly head of the Atlanta branch. Atlanta salesman William R. Word, Jr., goes into Fitzgerald's spot and broker J. Kenneth McCartney follows into Word's former post . . . RKO's Bob Mochrie also made several changes in his field forces as a result of the recent death of Ross Cropper, Boston Branch manager; Hatton Taylor takes over the Boston post; Murray Devaney of Montreal moves into Taylor's former position as Detroit branch head; Harry Cohen, manager at St. John, moves up to the Montreal branch managership, and Arthur LeeWhite goes into St. John to replace Cohen ... At Republic, executive v.p. James R. Grainger has named his executive assistant, John P. Curtin, as special sales rep, and Richard T. Yates becomes Grainger's new right-hand man . . . John Horton, former White House aide and special liaison officer in the Defense Department, has been named by U-I Studio as its special public relations rep with headquarters in the nation's capitol. IS