The Film Daily (1942)

VXte Friday, October 9, 1942 7,000 Tons Of Scrap Goal Of Met. Pic Stands 100% Cooperation Pledged By Theatermen As Plans Are Announced by WAC Film theaters in the New York metropolitan territory as a group, whose aggregate seating capacity is close to 1,350,000, will try to shatter a 10-pound-per-seat quota for scrap during the intensive salvage drive set by the War Activities Committee from Oct. 15-24 inclusive, under the campaign title, "Showmen At War," i it was declared yesterday by Sam Rinzler, chairman of the New York WAC, following a meeting of indie theater owners and circuit heads. Rinzler, asserting that co-operation of all stands was assured, said that the campaign would boil down into three principal divisions, (1) staging of a special Free Scrap Matinee by more than 900 houses on the morning of Saturday, Oct. 24; (2) publicizing drive as a whole via screen, lobby, newspapers, radio, and other exploitation; and (3) donation of any and all obsolete and dispensable scrap equipment that may be lying around theaters. Characterizing the Free Scrap Matinee as a "must," Rinzler explained that any child or adult bringing scrap metal or scrap rubber to any theater during the Oct. 15-24 period will receive a tag which will serve as admission to the special show, and that the donors of scrap should be encouraged to wear the tags about their communities as long as possible in advance of the matinee so that word of the free show I can be spread. Stress was placed on these five points: (1) Tin cans are eliminated from the collection; (2) No limit has bees set on the amount of scrap to be brought; (3) Portion of theater's sidewalks should be roped-off for the collection; (4) WAC will supply, gratis, sufficient tags for each theater on basis of seating capacity, and that a space has been provided on the tags whereon the theater can rubber-stamp its name; and (5) that the major film distributors have agreed that any percentage picture a theater may be playing can be used for this special matinee, You Can't Beat This Distinguished Staff! Canvass by THE FILM DAILY of U. S. newspapers, asking the latter (in light of recent drains on Fourth Estate personnel) to submit names of their motion picture editor and critic so that all ballots for the forthcoming Ten Best Pictures poll would reach the accredited voters, brought a startling reply from an Iowa daily. Under the reply postcard's printed line (Our motion picture editor and critic are:) was this — Mrs. Miniver and Sergeant York Exhibitor Features In Bond-Selling Pix Town's Heroes In the Biggest Show On Earth Dallas — Henry Reeve of the Mission Theater, Menard, Tex., is getting great Bond-sale results by showing on his screen pictures of the town's lads serving with the armed forces. Each week he runs two who have entered active service, along with an appeal consisting of not more than 45 words. Cost of the films are absorbed by the local bank which furnishes the pictures as promotion for Bonds, and not a word of copy appears about the bank. So impressed are audiences with the necessity for supplying its native sons with weapons so the folks on the home front can be protected and the war won that they buy Bonds on an amazing scale. Pix are prepared by Jamison Film Co., and Reeve is convinced that if this personalized angle were used in all theaters, more Bonds than ever could be vended. and that if the current attraction of Oct. 24 is not deemed interesting to children, theatermen may obtain, gratis, a western plus surrounding shorts, or an all-shorts program, — in which case bookings should be made immediately. Plea for Flying Start Houses are urged to start plugging the matinee via newspaper ads, stories and trailer, commencing Oct. 15 or by Oct. 10, if possible, on which latter date free mats will be available through National Screen Accessories, 630 Ninth Ave. As an aid to houses, the drive's publicity committee, chairmaned by Ernest Emerling, will supply papers directly^ with stories in New York City, Westchester, the Long Island counties of Nassau and Suffolk, and northern New Jersey. WAC is paying for a special onesheet poster and 22 x 28 cards for the drive, and showmen are asked to display at least one of the posters and several of the cards in their lobbies. The Sterling Sign Co., 60 West 18th St., New York City, has available the same poster in 40 x 60 size, silk screen process, and will be more attractive in theaters with larger lobbies. Price is $1.25 each. It is also urged that some sort of poster be placed on the scrap collection bin itself in front of each theater. Parades Scheduled Rinzler and his committeemen revealed elaborate promotional plans for WAC co-operation with theatermen. Several "Scrap Parades" will be held in the various boroughs of New York City, highlight of which will be the "Parade of Junkies" in Broadway and Times Square on Oct. 16. The junkies' horses and wagons will be in the line of march with huge 10-ton trucks of the Department of Sanitation. Any stunt ideas which theaters have should be sent to Ernest Emerling, publicity chairman. 1540 Broadway, New York City. Coincident with announcement of the general WAC plans. Fred Schwartz, chairman of the Greater New York Committee, declared that :n most instances the parades will b^ in the form of masquerades in which the children will dress in vari'wi kinds of scrap costumes and nrtees will be awarded in War Bonds. A committee of zone chairmen, he said, has been appointed to organize the parades, members comprising Janice Rentschler, Skouras Theaters, Manhattan; Bucky Harris, RKO, Westchester; Jack Lareaux, Century Circuit, Suffolk; Ed Freiberger, Century Circuit, Nassau; Leonard Freund, Century Circuit, Kings; Fred Herkowitz, RKO, Bronx; Ray Malone, RKO, and Ted Arnow, Loew's, Queens; and Dave Black, Fabian Theaters, Richmond. A special plea is made to operators of stands that they should not fail to scour their own premises for scrap to augment the collections accruing from their patrons. A partial list of on-the-premises scrap would comprise chiefly worn rubber mats; broken seat sides and brackets; old electric channel letters; odd lengths of pipe; worn stage cable; old brass display frames; worn-out generators; organ pipes (rich in tin and lead); old radiators and grilles; old box-office grilles; obsolete ticket machines; valves and plumbing fixtures; light brackets and chandeliers; brass cuspidors; and brass or iron railings. Unions, Gov't Aid Arrangements have been made with the various Labor Unions so that the operators will give of 'their time without charging the exhibitor overtime, and proper clearance of ticket tax as been secured from the Government. WAC spokesmen yesterday accented that no independent theater owner or circuit head wants to make five cents from the sale of scrap. In New York City, it has been arranged that WPB will attend to the removal and sale of scrap, and that proceeds will be divided among such organizations as the American Women's Volunteer Services, the USO. and Civilian Defense organizations. In upstate New York, Jersey and Long Island communities, it is suggested that a similar division of the proceeds be made. Joint Labor-Management Scrap Committee Proposed by the FWSC committee in each place employing film labor in order to expedite the collection of scrap. .lA On each committee would be a | c'fi resentative of the management Tic.-ti a representative of each union which has members employed by the outfit. It is proposed that the labormanagement committees put out a series of posters reminding employes to extend their search for scrap to their own homes. The first joint labor-management committee is at present being set up at 20th-Fox. By yesterday members of Local 4, stagehands, and Local 306, operators, had collected nearly two tons of scrap at the Brooklyn Paramount alone. FWSC Proposes Joint Labor And Management Scrap Com. Film War Service Council, consisting of five local CIO and AFL unions, has entered the scrap drive on an official basis. The organization, which has been encouraging film unions to participate activelv in the drive, has suggested the appointment of a joint labor-management New Jersey Exhibitors Hold Scrap Drive Meeting Today Newark — The industry's scrap drive will be discussed by New Jersey exhibitors this morning at Proctor's Theater here. The meeting was called by Harry Lowenstein, president of New Jersey Allied, and Don Jaycocks, Warner zone manager. Also present at the meeting will be Arthur Mayer, administrator for New York State; Fred Schwartz, N. Y. state administrator of the theater section; Charles Eaton and Clinton White, administrator and executive secretary, respectively, for the drive in New Jersey, and Sam Rinzler. Search Theaters for Scrap, Northwest Exhibs. Urged Minneapolis — E. L. Peasley, president of Allied Theater Owners of the Northwest, has called upon operators of 800 picture houses in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, to participate actively in the October scrap metal drive. "We want theater men of our section to clean up their own premises of scrap metal and to join with local committees everywhere to make this drive a success," Peasley said. Metro Plans to Tour A Pic Pioneer's Son To accent the Government's need for more dogs for war work and also to spotlight the forthcoming "Eyes in the Night," M-G-M has arranged a personal appearance tour for "Friday,," the seeing-eye, German shepherd dog, who plays the role of Edward Arnold's canine guide in the picture. Initial appearance will be at Loew's Capitol, Washington, Oct. 14-15, and then Oct. 1617-18 at Loew's State, New York. Subsequently, "Friday" will, according to present plans, go to Pittsburgh and Cleveland. He has the movie tradition in his blood, being a son of "Flash," dog-star of silent pix. 1 S *7 *? N m h ^ 1 S i z