Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1951)

Short Subjects By BARN REPUBLIC president Herbert J. Yates' talent for selling new western stars is now legend. It will be .remembered how, having built Gene Autry into a boxofnce powerhouse who outranked virtually all of the major companies* top luminaries and then losing him to the armed services, Yates plucked Roy Rogers from anonymity and made him a hinterland dynamo even before Autry had finished basic training. While Rogers still continues to hold sway as the No. 1 Cowboy, Yates is turning his fine hand to a new boy, Rex Allen. In the last few months, Allen has covered 57,000 miles to make personal appearances in 87 cities and towns throughout the nation. He has appeared at some 18 exhibitor conventions to ingratiate himself with the allimportant men who play his pictures. In no time at all, his CBS weekly radio show has skyrocketed to seventh place in nation-wide popularity, according to the latest Nielsen national radio rating. With INSTITUTIONAL SLUGS M-G-M Extra Service the industry in dire need of new stars, Republic's Yates deserves exhibitors' gratitude for proving once again that stars are made, not born. His example could well be emulated by every studio to give movie business a much-needed shot in the arm. AMONG THE industry's biggest boosters in the newspaper field is the New York Journal-American. It has most consistently evidenced its friendship and support of the movie industry through unsolicited plugs (though it not infrequently succumbs to the tabloid sensationalism that plasters movie stars' indiscretions all over the front page). Its latest boost is in the form of a series of institutional ads, about 100 lines by two columns, with each ad highlighting an individual movie in current release. Depending on the subject and mood of the film are headlines like: "Movies Bring You Action," "Movies Bring You Adventure" ". . . Comedy," ". . . Thrills," etc. Under the headline is a squared reproduction of a still from the movie, with title and company credit indicated, then a plug for the Journal-American's movie pages and its featured columnists. J^AUGHTER IS needed in the world these days. M-G-M production chief Dore Schary thinks Red Skelton is the answer and with Schary the action never lags far behind the thought. Consequently, the studio head has sent out the word to his underlings to dig up (if you'll excuse the expression) the "greatest story properties possible" for the carrot-topped star and is assigning the company's top producers and writers to the preparation of his future productions. 'The international popularity of Red Skelton has never reached its current peak," Schary says, "and certainly the people of the world never needed laughs as badly as they do today. As morale builders for both civilians and the Armed Forces, the type of entertainment represented by Skelton is in demand to a greater extent throughout the world than ever before. We are going to do everything possible to supply that demand." J^S PART OF a direct rebuttal to TV's inroads into movie attendance, M-G-M has inaugurated a campaign in its pressbooks to impress the fact that the scope and stature of the motion picture theatre screen makes it a medium that surpasses any other form of entertainment. Leo, who hopes that such a campaign will be adopted by all companies and theatres, launched this advertising angle in connection with "King Solomon's Mines" and will make it a standard part of all future pressbooks. There will be eight slugs of two different sizes, (see cut) all on one mat, for use in newspaper advertising, heralds, etc. Where the actual slug cannot be spotted in the smaller layouts, it is suggested that variations of the heading, "Only a Motion Picture Theatre Screen Can Present a Show Like This," and the other copy be used. COVIET SHOWING, as reported in an ^ AP dispatch, of Columbia's satire on U. S. politics, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," made in 1939, had the industry pounding on the door of the State Department. MPEA president Eric Johnston, asking the Government to make an immediate investigation of the "unauthorized" showing, pointed out that at no time had Columbia or the Association offered the film for exhibition in Russia. Since the MPEA, which distributes films of its member companies in Europe, has no representative in Moscow, Johnston noted, "we are entirely dependent on the State Department to protect the legitimate interests of our Association and of Columbia Pictures Corporation." He asked the embassy in Moscow to check on the report and, if verified, "to make the strongest representations to the Soviet government to stop these unauthorized showings immediately." He further requested that all prints and negatives should be turned over to the American embassy for return to Columbia, adding, "we are also anxious to find out how the Soviet Union obtained this picture." THE PASSING of Toby Gruen, National Screen Service vice-president, last Wednesday (27th) after a lingering ill ness, saddened the industry. One of the original founders of NSS, he was a keystone in its business structure and growth. His 23 years as treasurer and vice-president established an enviable reputation for Gruen as an executive with a heart. When ill health limited his activities some years ago, he continued to have a hand in National Screen's administrative policies, which, in recent weeks, paid off handsomely as exhibitors throughout the country rallied \p the support of the company after it was threatened by an antitrust suit. The late vice-president is survived by his wife, Ethel, and son and daughter, Bob and Dorothy. QF MEN AND THINGS: Universal-International has launched a 17-week sales drive to mark the recent appointment of Charles J. Feldman as domestic sales manager. The campaign will honor Feldman for his record of performance during his 20 years with the company . . . U-I revealed that Peter T. Dana, MOVIES BRING YOU ADVENTURE JOURNALAMERICAN AD A Newspaper Pitches In another 20-year man, has moved up to Feldman's former post of Eastern sales manager. Dana comes up after branch managerships in Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland. Detroit and Pittsburgh . . . Jack Felix has been named branch manager of Monogram's Portland exchange to succeed the late William Grant . . . ELC's general sales manager, B. G. Kranze, has made three new appointments: Ralph Amacher, former Portland branch head, moves over to the San Francisco exchange, replacing Sam Sobel, resigned; S. F. Powers moves up from Portland salesman to head the exchange, and J. C. Swonson becomes branch manager in the Salt Lake City exchange, replacing Arthur Jolley, resigned . . . Morris Finkel, W. Pa. Allied president for the past four years, will not be a candidate for reelection at the organization's annual election during the annual convention this month, noting "During my tenure as president, I made many friends and contacts all over the country which I value highly, but I believe other exhibitors should be afforded the same opportunity." JANUARY 1, 1951 21