The Film Daily (1941)

Thursday, August 7, 1941 SI. Louis Prefers Duals, Poll Reveals (Continued from Page 1) likes and dislikes of movie fans in this city. To assure prompt response, persons contacted in the house-to-house canvass were asked to send or bring in their checked-off answers listed on small questionnaire cards, in return for which they were admitted to the theaters as guests of the management during the following fortnight. Most important discovery of all was the overwhelming majority of votes rolled up in favor of double-feature film programs. Sixty-four per cent of the more than 30,000 questionnaires turned in, reportedly favored the dual program, while 25.3 per cent preferred single feature programs, 6.2 per cent preferred triple-feature programs and 4 per cent indicated preference for an hour of short subjects featured in conjunction with a single-feature program. But few questionnaires failed to indicate any preference in this classification. With regard to stage shows, Riegel reports that 69.4 per cent were in favor of, while 30.6 voted against the flesh entertainment. In response to a direct query, questionnaires revealed that 69.6 per cent of those in favor of stage shows, desired this entertainment with a single-feature film program, while the remaining 30.4 per cent stated preference for stage shows with double-feature film programs. Questionnaires also accounted for the hotly-contested exhibitor problem of contests, giveaways and premiums, the results proving somewhat enlightening insofar as the public's likes and dislikes are concerned. Eighty-nine per cent of all questionnaires turned in voted against such forms of competition among exhibitors, apparently indicating a strong preference for quality in entertainment rather than a miscellany of dishes and kitchenware. Six and .5 per cent signified their preference for this practice, while 4.5 per cent failed to specify any preference. Another important result of the poll, Riegel said, will be the preferences indicated by motion picture fans contacted in the canvass, with regard to the type of film program most desired. Figures were not yet available, Riegel said, but should be virtually completed within another week. The net results of the poll, which has been executed under Riegel's supervision by a staff of 11 representatives, will be turned over for study to Harry C. Arthur, Jr., president and general manager of Fanchon & Marco, which operates the Fox, Ambassador, Missouri and St. Louis Amusement Co. theaters, in addition to the St. Louis. Co-Star Bogart, Ann Sheridan West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Warner Bros, will costar Humphrey B ogart and Ann Sheridan in W. R. Burnett's "Nobody Lives Forever." Flying Showman Oklahoma City, Okla.— Exhibitors who have been wondering how they can attend tradeshowings of film product and still tend to their operations at home might take a tip from Bob Walker, operator of the Nusho Theater, Broken Arrow, Okla. Whenever the weather permits Bob flies to Oklahoma City to do his booking and flies back again in his own plane. Broken Arrow which is near Tulsa, is an even hundred miles by air to Oklahoma City and can be flown in less than an hour in the average light plane. Rodgers Declines UA Presidency Offer (Continued from Page 1) lease Rodgers from his contract. Rodgers' formal statement follows: "I feel greatly honored by the invitation extended to me by the United Artists Corporation, through its owners, to head their organization. However, I am under contract to Loew's, Incorporated, and could not even consider the proposal without my company's full approval. This the company felt it could not grant. "I remain with Metro-GoldwynMayer with whom I have been so happily associated for many years." Anti-5 Defendant Claims State Laws Can Control Pix (Continued from Page 1) tions, the plaintiffs' claim that their business is wholly interstate in character and therefore not subject to a state measure. The cases come up for hearing Friday in Ramsey County District Court. Other defendants are James F. Lynch, Ramsey County Attorney, and Thomas J. Gibbons, Ramsey County sheriff. RKO Studios Starting 10; Hits New Production Pace West Coast Bureau of THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — RKO studios will place more pictures in work during the period of Aug. 1-Oct. 1 than have been started in any similar period, it was announced yesterday. Joseph I. Breen, new production chief, and his executive producers, Sol Lesser and J. R. McDonough, have lined up a program of 10 pictures that will occupy the RKO stages and those at the Pathe lot and RKO ranch. Starting this week, the lineup includes "Land of the Open Range," a Tim Holt western; "A Date with the Falcon" and "Obliging Young Lady." These will be followed by "The Marines Are Ready," "Valley of the Sun," "Joan of Paris," "The Mayor of 44th Street," "Passage from Bordeaux," "Out of Gas," "Journey Into Fear" and "Syncopation." Urges Power to F.D.R. To Establish D. S. Time (Continued from Page 1) able for the defense program and urged that President Roosevelt be permitted to establish daylight saving time as one means of conserving electricity. Batt said he thought this would be a step in the direction of eliminating non-essential consumption and would facilitate a program of "further curtailment" of civilian uses when and if such a curtailment becomes necessary. Meanwhile, controversy grew as to whether Congress should write its own standards for daylight saving or give President Roosevelt blanket authority. Strong protest to any plan of daylight saving is expected from farming areas. Ask Cheapest Argentine Rate for Import Dollars Buenos Aires (By Air Mail) — Facilitation of imports of raw stock, and production and laboratory equipment by granting import dollars at the cheapest official rate instead of at the higher free rate, has been asked Argentine authorities by the Asociacion de Productores de Peliculas Argentinas. Illinois Allied Hits "Split Releases" (Continued from Page 1) bination of features which are not available to independent theaters and forcing the indies to split releases. He cited three recent V'O \ K bills, "Penny Serenade" and "4f* t Hamilton Woman"; "Billy the Kid" and "Million Dollar Baby," and "The Great Lie" and "The Great American Broadcast." Kirsch charged that subsequent releases of these pictures were split, presenting the independents from playing the same or similar combinations. Kirsch suggested that a booking committee be organized, representing all exhibitors, to set releases monthly and that the distributors should reserve the right to designate the week of general release. Kastner Resigns UA Foreign Department Post (Continued from Page 1) report on conditions on the Continent. Kastner will leave Friday for the Coast to join his family and take a brief vacation before announcing his future plans. THE FAVORITE RADIO NEWS COMMENTATOR OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS... ...in a short-subject film chronicle about historymaking events... Presented in COLOR-ANIMATION D * l . a Directed By r«UL r c in in c NOMr I • fjf/2,1 Music: CLARENCE WHEEL (InQW^I A COLUMBIA SHOR P*^ SUBJECT PRESENTATK Produced by LAWSON HARIS rected by PAUL FEN NELL ER T SUBJECT PRESENTATION