The Film Daily (1941)

10 Wfe Friday, August 15, 1941 20lh-Fox 26-Week Net Was $861,278 (Continued from Page 1) 089, after a reserve of $350,000, and a loss of $236,163 for the second quarter of 1940, also after providing a reserve of $700,000. No portion of the earnings of National Theaters Corp. is included in the above figures since no dividends were declared by that corporation during the first half of either year. The corporation is not liable fo excess profits tax on the earnings for this period. Foreign Dept. Managers In Parley With Whitney (Continued from Page 1) ion of the Committee for Commercial and Cultural Relations between the Latin American Republics, leaves Wednesday for a trip through South America. Whitney, it was understood, outlined his plans and itinerary before the foreign managers and discussed suggestions submitted to him. He will be accompanied by Phil Reisman, RKO foreign head, and will attend RKO's convention in Rio de Janeiro Aug. 23. Latest developments in Japan was another topic under consideration. According to the Hays office spokesman, foreign managers are waiting for further word on new restrictions enacted by Japan. Fom all indications, it was said, the distributors' frozen money amounting to approximately $900,000 in the Yokohama Specie Bank of San Francisco is safe and the initial payments will be forthcoming next month. Foreign managers were encouraged to hear Mexican labor situation is proceeding in an orderly fashion with government intervention likely to bring about a settlement, it was said. From THE FILM DAILY to AUGUST 15 Estelle Brady Harry Akst Walt Winston AUGUST 16 Mae Clarke R. C. Katz Lucien Littlefield AUGUST 17 John Hay Whitney Charles Judels Miliza Korjus John McCormick Mary Price W. S. McDonald Winnie Lightner Fire Scene on Screen Panics 107 'Year 'Old Negro; Sees His First Motion Picture Show Huntsville, Ala. — A 107-year-old Madison County Negro, seeing his first movie, jumped from his seat and hurried away as fast as creaky old legs would carry him. Caught by a stranger who wanted to know why his hurry, the exslave's answer was: "Man, I'se gittin away, cause everything is on fire. I'se too old to fight wid dem men and I better git away." A forest fire scene had been flashed on the screen. When the stranger explained, the old darky said: "I didn' know thar was sich a thing in the world as a show dat moved and talked." Movie Vacation Plan Gets Okay of Theaters (Continued from Page 1) survey conducted by Montague indicates that the entire nation has become "Movie-Vacation" conscious by the campaign. The survey points out that the more than 12,000 motion picture theaters, comprising major circuits and important independent groups, are behind the "Movie-Vacation" plan to the fullest. Such important major theater circuits as Loew's, Fox West Coast, the Skouras Theaters, Paramount, Warner Brothers, RKO, as well as such independent chains as the U. S. Butterfield Theaters, Comerford Circuit, E. M. Loew, and others have furthered the plan with special program announcements, trailers, window cards and local radio tie-ups. In addition, the "MovieVacation" idea has been given the whole-hearted support of other film producing companies that have seen in this plan one of the most important prestige and attendance-getting campaigns ever placed before the public. Newspapers Support It An important factor in making the "Movie-Vacation" idea one of the most effective good-will campaigns ever begun on behalf of the motion picture industry has been the wholehearted support of the nation's newspapers. Despite incomplete returns, the survey emphasizes the fact that more than 60 newspapers, among them such important publications as the New York Journal-American, the New York Post, Chicago HeraldAmerican, Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Star-Times, Buffalo Courier-Express, Rochester Democrat-Chronicle and Times-Union, Cincinnati Post, Toledo Blade, have contributed lavish newspaper space toward this campaign. In many instances, notably the Chicago Herald-American, fullpage advertisements were used to call the attention of moviegoers to the advantages of taking a "MovieVacation" at the local theater. In all instances, according to the Columbia survey, the campaigns were instituted by the newspapers as a good-will promotion on behalf of local theaters and at no cost to the exhibitor. Small Papers, Too From metropolitan centers to the smallest village boasting a movie theater, the newspaper support is said to have been tremendous. Among the other newspapers repre ITO of Ohio Issues Its First Checkup on Product (Continued from Page 1) bers with the request that they direct him immediately concerning continuation of the service. Scheduled for weekly publication if it meets the approval of the members, the latest Wood product quotes from reviews of four publications and gives opinions of exhibitors to each picture's box-office possibilities, this rating being "poor," "good to fair to poor," "excellent to good," "hard to sell," "class picture" and "average to poor." The buletin released with the first issue of the digest commented: "When we consider the rentals being asked by the consenting companies for their first blocks of pictures, it is of vital importance to every exhibitor that he have some accurate line on what he is buying, and it is for this reason that we have decided to issue the digest." Greek King at Opening With the exiled King George of Greece in attendance, the new Curzon Theater in Wynberg, near Johannesburg, South Africa, opened yesterday. Harry Lourie, a director and partner in the South African circuit, received a cable from his son, Norman, that the opening was a big success. sented in the "Movie Vacation" campaign are: Tulsa, Okla. Daily World; Tulsa, Okla. Tribune; Emporia, Kans., Gazette; Bellaire, O., Leader; Charleston, S. C. News & Courier; Lynn, Mass., Telegram-News; Syracuse, N. Y., HeraldJournal; Union, S. C. Daily Times; Ruthton, Minn. Tribune; Lansing, Mich., StateJournal; Lexington, Ky., Herald-Leader; Hartford, Conn., Daily Times; Meriden, Conn., Daily Journal; New Haven, Conn., Connecticut Echo; New Haven, Conn., Italian-American Weekly News; Lynn, Mass., Telegram-News; Berkeley, Calif.. Daily Gazette; Canton, O., Canton Repository; Logan, O., Daily News; Safford, Ariz., Round-Up; Del Rio, Tex., News-Herald; Camden, N. J., Courier-Post; Miami, Fla., Daily News; New Smyrna Beach, Fla., News; Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Record; Cleveland, O.. Plain-Dealer; Washington, N. J., Hunterdon County Shopping Guide; Eldora, Iowa, Eldora Newspapers; Iowa City, Iowa, Press-Citizen; Waterloo, Iowa, Daily Courier; Wessington, S. D., Times-Enterprise; Walnut Grove, Minn., Tribune; Lake Preston, Minn., Times; Hartford, Conn., Daily Courant. Non-Allied Units May Attend Conclave (Continued from Page 1) distributors are not adverse to the proposal but wish to learn more about what Myers has in mind. It was indicated that they would-be represented at the convention. L Myers in a bulletin early this "v^W asked: "Why would it not be a good idea for the representative organizations in the several branches to form a joint committee, consisting of the duly appointed representatives of each, to meet from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest and problems affecting all?" Ta-Kit, New Premium, In Fabian and WB Houses Ta-Kit, a theater giveaway, will be used by 15 Warner and Fabian theaters in upstate New York, Connecticut and Staten Island starting ^ Sept. 22. New giveaway is a four V week promotion under which women patrons receive kits of sample sizes of nationally known products. Kit for the first week will be made up of grocery products, to be followed in subsequent weeks by kits made up of drugs and cosmetics, five and ten cent store products, and a general household kit. Stunt will be preceded by a circular campaign and tie-ups with local retail outlets, according to TaKit, Inc., 565 Fifth Ave., operator of the giveaway. Loew's Theaters Takes Over the Uptown, Toronto Toronto — As rumored many times, Loew's Theaters will take over the Uptown Sept. 1 with Stanley Gosnell as manager on expiration of lease of Famous Players Canadian Corp., it was announced in Toronto last night. Loew's will operate two first-run theaters here, Jules Bernstein continuing as manager of the Yonge Stret Theater where he has been in , charge for a quarter of a century. £ Sheas Theater closes next week to ■ reopen Sept. 13 after renovation under continued Famous Players sponsorship with Fred Trebilcock now at Uptown as manager. Blackton Funeral Tomorrow Hollywood — Funeral services for J. Stuart Blackton will be held tomorrow at 2 P.M. at St. Mary of the Angels Church. Here's a Weather Note from Detroit Detroit — Hazen Funk, manager of the Great Lakes Theater, just stemmed a riot in the house during the showing of "Ziegfeld Girl." In one scene, Judy Garland tells Charles Winninger, "Better pack your flannels— it's cold in Detroit." Outside temperature that day was 100 — and the line badly misfired.