The film daily year book of motion pictures (1932)

THE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY'S PART IN UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF WORK ^=^= By LUPTON A. WILKINSON =^=^=^= of the Motion Picture Producers & Distributors of America OLDEN THREADS among the silver on the American screen marked November 18 to 25, 1931, National Motion Picture Week, when all elements in the motion picture industry united to vitalize, in the unemployment emergency, the age-old tradition of the theater's response to human need of every kind. In every city and community in the United States where there was enough unemployment to have caused the creation or maintenance of a local relief organization, every motion picture theater gave one or more benefit performances, the entire proceeds of which were turned over to local relief agencies. From the outset of the effort, the industry put itself unreservedly in the hands of the national bodies set up by President Hoover — the committees headed by Walter S. GifiFord and Owen D. Young. "To do all that we can, and to do it in the most helpful way," became the screen's unwritten slogan. '•id Lifting a corner of the curtain of unadded totals, a glance through the correspondence at national headquarters indicates how close to the heart of the people, how natural an agency of help, is the motion picture theater. Brooklyn, Iowa, which has a total population of 1,100, raised $500 at one benefit show. Nevada, Missouri, with a population of 7,500 and two theaters of limited capacity held midnight shows with a gross result of $2,520. This money was used to provide a wood pile where any unemployed man could secure work at $10 a week cutting wood. The wood was then sold to the homes in the town and the money used to buy additional wood. In scores of small towns, besides the benefits, the theaters held old clothes and food matinees and tendered the use of their theaters for unemployment relief meetings. In the great cities, too, the people joined with theater men in a last goodwill offering before the winter closed down. Boston came through with more than $21,000, as did Baltimore. Jersey City reported the amazing gross of $31,175 at midnight performances held in 16 theaters. In Rochester an extensive campaign was conducted which included a street parade in which several bands, the American Legion Disabled Veterans and similar organizations participated. More than $11,000 was the Rochester take. Milwaukee, due to the energetic leaders of Fred S. Meyer, president of the M.P.T.O. of Wisconsin, turned over to local relief agencies the impressive sum of $45,000. In the Denver area a blizzard and a thermometer below zero, handicapped the theater men who, there as everywhere throughout the country, put their best efforts behind the shows. The greatest concerted effort of the industry for charity got under way early in October when Will H. Hays called together at his office a representative group of the key men in the industry. Before them he laid the extent of the national emergency, as it had been presented to hira in conferences with Mr. Young and others. Complete unanimity marked the immediate forma tion of the Motion Picture Organization to Aid Unemployment Relief. Among the first to tender full support were M. A. Lightman, president of the M.P.T.O. of America, and Abram F. Myers, president of the Allied States Association of M. P. Exhibitors. Mr. Hays, by common consent, was asked to head the new organization and was ernpowered to name a National Committee. His first step was to ask Mr. Lightman and Mr. Myers to serve as his vice-chairmen. A Central Committee was formed, with three important divisions : the raising of relief funds, the stimulation and protection of employment within the industry and the performance by the screen of its duty in the matter of national morale. The special committee of relief funds recommended to the Central Committee, and the message was transmitted to Mr. Young through Chairman Hays that: "The week of November 18 to 25, 1931 will be National Motion Picture Week." Then some of the fastest organizations in the history of any industry got under way. District committees were set up in 31 exchange centers and key men chosen and named city chairmen in their respective territories. In New York the whole roster of the advertising brains of the industry constituted itself an aggregation of one-man committees. Paul Gulick of Universal, compiled and edited a whirl-wind press book and the service of Gordon White of Educational in taking advantage of the freely offered space of the trade press were among the outstanding contributors to the publicity effort. Howard Dietz and Bill Ferguson of M-G-M, Gabe York of Fox, and in truth the entire advertising fraternity within the industry deserve a place on a roll of honor. Eddie Cantor volunteered to make an advance trailer for the benefit shows. George Cochrane directed it. Fox studios made it. A million feet of film were donated by Eastman and DuPont. Every periodical within the industry opened its columns and the general press throughout the country acclaimed and aided the effort with generous editorials and thousands of columns of news treatment. Sixteen leading ticket firms printed tickets free of charge. Thousands of 24 sheets, three sheets and one sheets were designed. lithographed and printed without cost. Ad mats, stickers, banners, all the accessories of showmanship were designed without cost and the physical supplies were donated. Among the national publicity highlights were a monster parade of motion picture stars on the radio, addressed on nation hook-ups by Mr. Hays and Mary Pickford, the presentation by Miss Pickford to President and Mrs. Hoover of tickets number one and two, and the national news releases issued by the Young Committee in stimulation and appreciation of the industry's cooperation.