The Film Daily (1943)

Friday, July 2, 1942 50% of PRC Program Finished by October (Continued f_rom Page 1) company's regional sales meeting that the lowest budget picture on the 1943-44 program would equal the highest cost of any of last season's films. He noted that 50 per cent of the new program will be ready by October. Greenblatt stressed the already announced policy that PEC will veer away from war pictures and will base the major part of its new program on headline topical subjects, with at least half of the program in the lighter vein. In clarifying the sales policy on new product, Greenblatt told delegates details of the special campaign under way for "Isle of Forgotten Sins," to be released Aug. 15. 0. Henry Briggs, president of PRC, opened the Park Central Hotel session with a review of the company's growth and a prediction of further expansion in the future. He declared that closer co-ordination between production and sales staffs, designed to anticipate exhibitor needs, had determined the character and diversity of the new lineup. Harry Brandt, president of the ITOA, was a guest speaker. Today's session features a luncheon for the trade press. Delegates at the meeting include: Briggs, John S. Young, Greenblatt, Karl Herzog-, Fred Rohrs, Armand Schenek, Joseph O'Sullivan. S. S. Kestenbaum, Joseph H. Lamm, Roberto D. Socas, Harold Flavin and John Miehelson, all from the home office. Also. Bernard Mills, Jack Berkson, Leo Murphy, Albany-Buffalo: Harry Goldman, Max Farber, Max Salzberg-, Sam Levine, Boston; Nat Lefton, Jack Lefton. Nat Kaplan, Manny Weiss, Rudy Norton,, Fred Seheurman. Sam Weiss, M. Higgins, Cleveland-Cincinnati: William Flemion, Bert Foster, Robert Buermele, William Clark, Robert Snyder, Detroit; Lt. Com. Bert Kulick, Sidney Kulick, Frances Kulick, New York: Herb Given, Harry Sanger, Philadelphia; Lew Lefton, Milton Lefton. Jack Withers, Godfrey Lefton, Pittsburgh: Harry Gibbs, New Haven; George Gill, Bill Smith, Barry Goldman, Danny Rosenthal, Washington. July 2 George Folsey Joan Irene Perrin July 3 Leon Errol Al Perrin Wynne Gibson Luther Reid Fred Rassman Florence Miles Alicoate July 4 Louis B. Mayer Gertrude Lawrence Mrs. Thomas Meighan Mary Patricia Alicoate Gloria Stuart Vince Barnett Barbara Weeks Joseph Ruttenberg July 5 Helen Harrison Warners Keeps Door Open Policy Found Workable, Sales Meet Told George Murphy Joe C. Hornstein Ed Savin Harvey Thew Henry Armetta Irving Caesar Helen Gilbert Henri Elman (Continued ft to be both "workable and equitable." "We welcome any of our customers to call to our attention their individual difficulties," he asserted, "and we assure them that they will be met with an open door and an open mind, particularly in situations affected by population shifts due to war conditions." Bernhard told the sales representatives that by and large the wartime population shifts had affected only a small percentage of the theatergoing public, perhaps not more than three per cent of the country as a whole. It was his prediction that the increase in theater attendance would continue after the war because of the stronger establishment of the theater-going habit, the larger number of potential patrons, greater frequency of attendance and progressive improvement in the quality of film product. He also pointed out that the industry's co-operation in making screen entertainment available for the armed forces was de em Page 1) veloping a large number of new and permanent picture fans. Messages congratulating the work of the sales force were received from Jack L. Warner, H. M. Warner and Major Albert Warner. The first-named praised the cooperation and teamwork of the field organization-under Ben Kalmenson, general "sales manager, and called the present "sales force the most efficient in the company's history. Charles Einfeld, vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity, who was unable to attend the New York meeting, wired that "the sky's the limit" as far as the exploitation and merchandising of next season's product is concerned. Presiding was Kalmenson, who will serve in a similar capacity at the Chicago and San Francisco regional. On the dais with him and Bernhard were Samuel Schneider, More Blumenstock, Norman H. Moray, Arthur Sachson, Roy Haines, A. W. Schwalberg, Jules Lapidus, Howard Levinson, Albert Howson. Affiliation of Bert M. Stearn with the Warner sales organization was announced at the meeting by Kalmenson. Stearn will serve in a general utility capacity for the time being, it was said. Group conferences conducted by Kalmenson, Sachson, Lapidus, Levinson, Schwalberg, Moray and other sales department heads were held in the afternoon. The day closed with screenings of "Thank Your Lucky Stars" and "Watch on the Rhine." The meeting closes tomorrow. $811,499 More Cut from OWI's Domestic Branch (Continued from Page 1) function during the next year, but it was a very slim chance indeed. House and Senate conferees agreed late last night to slash the funds of the OWI domestic branch further, cutting $811,499 from the $3,561,499 voted Wednesday by the Senate and leaving only half the $5,500,000 originally recommended by the House appropriations committee. The $2,750,000 finally agreed upon, and due to be voted upon today by both chambers, is less than one-third the amount originally asked for the agency. Two weeks ago, when it appeared that the domestic branch might be voted $5,500,000 by the House, Director Elmer Davis implied to a press conference that he would find it necessary to cut the motion picture bureau to a skeleton. Certainly he will not be more lenient with half the funds. The conference report does not specify the use to which the funds for the domestic branch must be put, eliminating the earmarkingin the Senate bill. It does however, call for more work to be done by the agency with the smaller appropriation. The book and magazine section was restored. Although the other sections knocked out by the Senale are still out. While no final action on the War Agencies appropriations bill was taken yesterday, the end of the OWI motion picture bureau as an effective agency is not questioned seriously in OWI sources. Only Lowell Mellett, its director, was at all hopeful and even he admitted that his hope was mainly that something effective could be worked out by OWI. It is no longer possible to raise the funds provided by Congress for his bureau. Mellett parried all questions concerning bis future plans, saying he might be able to say something today. He indicated that it was not unlikely he would retain direction of what is left of the bureau, but would not be quoted on anything. Rites for Carl Duncan Killbuck, O. — Funeral services for Carl Duncan, 60, operator of the Duncan theater, were held here yesterday. Survivors include his wife and a son, William, in the Army. New Jersey Allied Told Of Industry's War Effort (Continued from Page 1) home tto exhibitors yesterday through addresses by industry leaders at the closing session of the New Jersey Allied annual "showman-at-war" conference. Francis S. Harmon, Arthur Mayer, Irving Dollinger, Don Jacocks and others described what had been done and what was still to be done. Arthur Mayer declared that an undescribable confusion would have resulted had it , not been for the War Activities Committee and the office of Lowell Mellett in handling the multiple details in connection with films, Bond drives and kindred activities. Mayer said that despite the apparent death of the OWI film bureau, there was every reason to believe that one informational short would be released by the Government every week. He added that there would be only two drives launched this year — one for the Red Cross and one for the National War Relief. He stressed the importance of copper collections, pointing out that there was a definite shortage, and declared that the Government was looking to the theaters for a major portion of the collections. Harmon, in praising the decentralization of WAC, said that the theaters in the New York and Philadelphia areas had paid their shares of the WAC budget in full. The problems of releasing and getting the proper distribution of Government and patriotic shorts were described effectively. Dollinger announced that plans were well along for Allied's own Bond drive to raise among its theaters' patrons enough money to buy a squadron of bombers. He said that the first day of the drive, which starts in August, would be promoted with the idea of Allied members themselves buying enough Bonds to purchase a bomber which is to be named the Allied. H. M. Richey discussed the film transportation problem and urged patience and cooperation in the gasoline emergency. Other speakers included Andy Smith, who outlined the future big productions exhibitors could expect from 20th Century -Fox; Don Jacocks of Warner Theaters: Max Gillis of Republic; Ed Morey of Monogram; Sales Drive Winners Named by Kalmenson Winners in Warners' 1943 Drive 'of Champions, described by Ben Kalmenson, general sales manager, as the most successful campaign of its kind ever conducted by the company, were announced by Kalmens^ / at yesterday's opening session c.^% ne regional sales meeting in the Waldorf-Astoria. Recipients of the $33,500 in War Bonds which will be distributed as prizes include: DISTRICT MANAGERS: First Prize. Henry Herbel, West Coast, $1,500; Second. Ralph L. McCoy. Southern, $1,000; Third. Hall Walsh, Prairie. $750: Fourth. Harry Seed, Central at start of drive, recently promoted to N. Y. Metropolitan, $500: Fifth. Robert Smeltzer, Mid-Atlantic, $350. BRANCHES: First Prize, Kansas City. Russell C, Borg, manager, $3,500: Second. Seattle, Vete Stewart, $3,000; Third. San Francisco, Al Shmitken, $2,500: Fourth, Denver, Earl A. Bell. $2,000; Fifth, Los Angeles, Fred Greenberg, $1,750; Sixth. Memphis, H. G. Krumm, $1,500; Seventh, Portland, Al Oxtoby, $1,250; Eighth, Salt Lake City. William F. Gordon, $1,000; Ninth, New Orleans, Luke Conner, $900: Tenth, Dallas, Roak Roberts, $800; Eleventh. Washington, Fred W. Beiersdorf, $750; Twelfth, Buffalo, Max Roth, $700; Thirteenth, Oklahoma City. J. W. Loewe, $600; Fourteenth, Atlanta, W. O. Williamson Jr. (how in Navy), $550; Fifteenth, Chicago. A. J. Shumow, $500. SALESMEN: First Prize, Ed Williamson, Atlanta (recently promoted to Memphis branch manager as a result), $350; Second, W. B. Collins, Detroit, $325: Third. Gordon F. Contee, Washington, $300; Fourth, J. H. Jordon, Charlotte, $250; Fifth, H. G. Minsky, Pittsburgh, $200; Sixth, Lloyd E. James, San Francisco, $150; Seventh, J. D. Jernigan, New Orleans. $125; Eighth, Elmer Huhnke, Omaha, $100 Ninth, R. Salyer, Cincinnati, $100; Tenth. H. Keeter. Charlotte. $100. BOOKERS: First Prize. San Francisco, $600; Second, Memphis, $500: Third, Denver, $400; Fourth. Charlotte, $350: Fifth, Chicago, $300; Sixth, Dallas, $200; Seventh. Philadelphia, $150: Eighth, Kansas City, $125; Ninth, Seattle, $100; Tenth, Indianapolis, $100. AD SALESMEN: First Prize. C. M. Norene, Omaha. $200; Second, E. Mallicoat, Kansas City, $175: Third, M. L. Davis. Memphis, $150; Fourth, G. Seibert. Buffalo. $125; Fifth, L. Shayne, Chicago. $100: Sixth, H. E. Stirling, St. John, $100: Seventh. B. Davis, Dallas, $75; Eighth, L. Katz, Vancouver, $75; Ninth, A. Blase, Philadelphia, $75; Tenth, C. Stacey, Cincinnati. $50. and George Dembow of National Screen Service who, because of the great amount of war work his company is doing, urged exhibitors to be tolerant if trailers and accessories were late. The conference closed without resolutions or and expression of grievances. Harmon was the principal speaker at the banquet last night which climaxed the threeday sessions. Harmon's theme embraced unity as an industry and as a nation, declaring that without the proper doctrines and principles of progress, individuality and fundamental moral laws we cannot expect security when peace comes. IN NEW POSTS WILLIAM P. HENEY, assistant to Bob Dougherty, Florida State Theaters general manager, Daytona Beach, Fla. EARL HOLDEN, manager, Imperial, Charlotte. WILLIAM CANAUCHTON, assistant manager, Capitol, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. JOSEI"H TINSLEY, assistant manager, Penn, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. |AY FRANK, 20th-Fox pulicity, Milwaukee and Detroit. ELLINGWOOD KAY, Warner Bros. Eastern story editor,